Wed, Mar 21, 2007 page18

• Sports Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  ■ Basketball
  Teen fans brawl in New York

  Teenagers brawled in the stands at a high school basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday night before police cracked down on the melee, which spilled into the streets. Gunfire was heard as the crowd went from the arena northward about eight blocks to Times Square, police said. No injuries were reported. About 21 people, mostly teenagers, were arrested, police said. A local television news camera crew inside the arena caught images of fights breaking out in the stands, including a girl slapping a boy, who in turn hit her. Other boys then jumped him, and police intervened. The Public Schools Athletic League's AA division city championship high school basketball game was between Brooklyn rivals Lincoln and Boys & Girls.

  ■ Soccer

  Game falls in holy week

  The first leg of Tottenham's UEFA Cup quarter-final in Sevilla, Spain, has fallen in the middle of a holy week and the town's mayor is trying to change the date. Alfonso Rodriguez Gomez de Celis even joked at a press conference he could invite UEFA president Michel Platini to the holy procession on Thursday April 5, the date of the match, to show him how important it was. The return match is a week later at Tottenham's White Hart Lane ground.

  ■ Football

  Porter nailed for punch-up

  Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter has been issued a summons by Las Vegas police for punching Cincinnati Bengals lineman Levi Jones in the face in an incident at a blackjack table, Las Vegas' Review-Journal newspaper reported. Porter, who left the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign a five-year, US$32 million contract with Miami earlier this month, was cited for misdemeanor battery on Sunday after a brief fight following a testy exchange of words at the Palms Hotel, police said. "Apparently these two have a history with each other, a history of trash talking on the field," Las Vegas police Lieutenant Kevin McMahill told the newspaper.

  ■ Cricket

  Pakistan's selectors quit

  Pakistan's chief cricket selector and the rest of the national selection committee have resigned following the national team's humiliating exit from the World Cup, a statement said yesterday. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would not comment on newspaper reports that PCB chairman Naseem Ashraf had tendered his resignation to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Protests erupted in several Pakistani cities after the team lost to outsiders Ireland on Saturday. A PCB statement said chief selector Wasim Bari had tendered his resignation and those of the rest of the national selection committee to the board.

  ■ Diving

  Chinese lead men's 1m

  Two Chinese divers led the men's 1-meter springboard preliminaries at the world diving championships yesterday. They weren't quite in the order the team expected. Luo Yutong (羅玉通) upstaged his world No. 1-ranked teammate He Chong (何沖) by a big margin -- 466.50 points to 423.30 -- to give Luo a good chance of upsetting He in today's final. Based on recent performances, He should have been on top. The favorite for the event, He is ranked first on the 1m springboard, won the Canada Cup, USA Diving and International grand prix events last year. Siarhei Kuchmasau of Belarus was a long way back with 387.75 points to qualify third yesterday, followed by Chris Colwill of the US (387.05).

  ■ Soccer
  Juve thrash Triestina

  Juventus cruised six points clear of Napoli at the top of the Serie B on Monday after a 5-1 drubbing of Triestina. Raffaele Palladino, 22, standing in for the suspended French striker David Trezeguet, was in blistering form for the promotion hopefuls, netting a hat trick. The visitors got off the mark first after seven minutes but veteran midfielder Mauro Camoranesi leveled a minute later. Palladino scored the next three for Juventus in what became a one-sided affair and 21-year-old Bulgarian international Valeri Bojinov wrapped up the game nine minutes from time.

  ■ Ice Hockey

  Tootoo gets five game ban

  The Nashville Predators, who have the best record in the NHL, will try to play without Canadian right wing Jordin Tootoo for the next five games. The NHL suspended Tootoo for five games here on Monday for striking Dallas defenseman Stephane Robidas in a 3-2 home victory over the Stars on Saturday. Tootoo will lose US$16,032 for the roughing blow, which came with 3:39 remaining in the third period and resulted in a double minor penalty. "Stephane Robidas appeared to be initiating a confrontation by approaching Jordin Tootoo," NHL vice president Colin Campbell said.

  ■ Curling

  US sneak past Germany

  The US rallied from a five-point deficit yesterday to defeat Germany 8-7 at the women's world curling championship. In the 10th end, German skip Andrea Schopp had a chance to win the game with the last-rock advantage but her shot hit a piece of debris on the ice and skidded off to the side, leaving a US stone in the house. The US improved to 5-2 in the round robin draw and was to face Scotland yesterday. Germany fell to 2-5.

  ■ Soccer

  Beckham launches Web site

  David Beckham has launched a new Web site to provide coaching advice to teachers and pupils. The Web site is an extension of Beckham's soccer academy which hosts free educational days. So far more than 12,000 children in the UK have benefitted from those open days but now Beckham is hoping anyone, anywhere can take advantage of what his academy has to offer. Beckham, visiting Bristol's City Academy School, said: "I have seen first-hand how boys and girls respond to the coaches at the academy. I am proud of the work we have achieved to date with schools and community groups who visit the academy."

  ■ Cricket

  Gibbs' feat helps charity

  West Indian cricket legend Sir Garfield Sobers and South African Herschelle Gibbs remembered their feats of six sixes in an over during a charity function here on Monday. Gibbs became the first man to hit six sixes in an over in one-day cricket during South Africa's Group A match against the Netherlands at Warner Park on Friday. His historic feat cost Johnnie Walker US$1 million after the company said it would donate the money to charity in honor of the first player to register the landmark. "Gibbs' feat was a wonderful achievement and more cherishing is the fact that it going to help charity," said Sobers, who hit six sixes in an over in a first-class match for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at Swansea in 1968. The donation will help Habitat for Humanity in Trinidad to build 70 houses for 500 homeless people, a cause Gibbs said he was happy to contribute.
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