Hawk Center Collier Dies

Center Jason Collier of the Atlanta Hawks died early Saturday after he had trouble breathing and was stricken in his home, his father said. He was 28.

General Manager Billy Knight said the cause of death was not immediately clear for the 7-foot, 260-pound player. He said Collier had “no issues” in a preseason physical given to all players.

Jeff Collier told Associated Press from his home in Springfield, Ohio, that his son died in an ambulance on the way to a hospital and did not have any diagnosed health problems apart from his knees.

Team spokesman Arthur Triche said the team was not sure how Collier died. Collier’s agent, Richard Howell, said an autopsy was being performed.

“We’ll wait until the experts can tell us, but there’s no comments about any speculating at all that I’m going to do,” Knight said. “Right now we just think about Jason and his family, his wife and a daughter. He was a good guy, a great teammate and a member of our organization. We’re going to miss him.

“The players took it hard, as you would expect.”

The Hawks canceled an open scrimmage Saturday but will play an exhibition game Monday night at Charlotte.

Jeff Collier said he received a phone call at 3:30 a.m. Saturday from Jason’s wife, Katie, who said her husband was having trouble breathing and quickly turned blue.

“You get a call and it’s your daughter-in-law crying saying she’s giving him CPR and trying to keep him going,” Jeff Collier said.

“I guess it took a while for the paramedics to get there. He had a slight pulse when they took him and he passed away in the ambulance while they took him to the hospital.”

Collier started 44 games last season, averaging 5.7 points and 2.6 rebounds.

Corey Maggette scored 21 points to lead the Clippers over the host Phoenix Suns, 90-87, in an exhibition game.

MOTOR RACING

Johnson Wins at Lowe’s,

Ties Stewart for Lead

Jimmie Johnson overcame several problems with his Chevrolet to win his fourth consecutive race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., and move into a first-place tie with Tony Stewart in the Chase for the championship.

Johnson started 41st because his engine failed before qualifying. Then his alternator went mid-race. He cut a right rear tire. And then he had overtime.

Johnson moved up three spots in the standings and into a tie with Stewart -- who finished 25th after crashing his Chevrolet -- with five events to go in the race for the Nextel Cup title.

Mike David won the final race at Bakersfield’s Mesa Marin Raceway -- which is being closed -- the NASCAR Grand National West Ford Motorcraft 150.

GOLF

Purdy Shoots 65

to Lead in Las Vegas

Ted Purdy birdied his first four holes before swirling wind kicked up and went on to shoot a seven-under-par 65 to take a two-stroke lead in the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas.

Purdy’s second consecutive 65 moved him to 18-under 197 through three rounds.

Steve Lowery shot a 64 to move into a second-place tie with Charles Howell III (67) and Harrison Frazar (68).

Briny Baird, ahead by one shot after the first round and by two shots after the second round, shot a 78 that left him tied for 43rd at nine under. His round included a quadruple-bogey eight on No. 12.

Brad Bryant shot his second consecutive six-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead over six players in the Administaff Small Business Classic at Spring, Texas.

Bryant birdied seven of the first 13 holes on the Augusta Pines course and had his only bogey on No. 15.

TENNIS

Blake Serves Way

to Stockholm Final

James Blake rode a powerful serve to defeat Olivier Rochus of Belgium, 6-4, 6-3, in the Stockholm Open to reach his first European final.

Blake will play Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, who defeated Davide Sanguinetti of Italy, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, in the other semifinal.

Third-seeded Mary Pierce of France defeated Dinara Safina of Russia, 7-6 (2), 6-3, and Francesca Schiavone of Italy defeated fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia, 6-3, 6-1, in the women’s semifinals of the Kremlin Cup at Moscow.

In the men’s semifinals, seventh-seeded Igor Andreev defeated fellow Russian Dmitry Tursunov, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, and sixth-seeded Nicolas Kiefer of Germany defeated qualifier Igor Kunitsyn of Russia, 6-2, 6-4.

Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain defeated third-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, 7-6 (3), 6-3, and Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia defeated Tommy Robredo of Spain, 7-6 (2), 6-4, in the semifinals of the BA-CA Trophy at Vienna.

Top-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia moved a step closer to her first WTA title, defeating Antonella Serra Zanetti of Italy, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, and second-seeded Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic defeated third-seeded Gisela Dulko of Argentina, 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (3), in the semifinals of the Thailand Open at Bangkok.

SOCCER

Preki’s Goal Keeps

Wizards’ Hopes Alive

Preki scored in the 90th minute to lift Kansas City to a 2-2 tie with FC Dallas at Frisco, Texas, preserving the Wizards’ Major League Soccer playoff hopes.

The Wizards need the MetroStars to lose to or tie Chivas USA today at 1 p.m. at the Home Depot Center to claim the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Taylor Twellman scored his MLS-leading 17th goal to help the Eastern Conference-champion New England Revolution beat Chicago, 1-0, at Foxborough, Mass.

Jaime Moreno scored on a penalty kick in the 75th minute and defending MLS Cup champion D.C. United tied Columbus, 2-2, at Washington.

The U.S. women’s team, 7-0 in 2005, plays host to Australia today at 3 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

California’s Kately

Leaves School

California junior forward Marquise Kately has withdrawn from school, though the two-year starter might return in January.

Kately apparently fell out of favor with Coach Ben Braun late last season and wasn’t expected to start this season.

Braun said Kately’s withdrawal wasn’t related to academics.

MISCELLANY

Aragorn Wins by a Nose

in Oak Tree Derby

Aragorn was successful in his second U.S. start, beating Eastern Sand by a nose to win the $150,000 Oak Tree Derby at Santa Anita.

Aragorn, the 7-2 third choice ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, survived a stewards’ inquiry for his second victory overall.

At Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., Sweet Talker, the longest shot in the field at 18-1, won a three-horse photo finish in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, the 3-year-old won by a nose over 11-1 shot Karen’s Caper, with 2-1 second choice Gorella another nose back in third.

Ryan Guettler of Australia won his second Dew Action Sports Tour season championship in the PlayStation Pro, adding the BMX park title to the BMX dirt competition he won Thursday.

Kenny Bartram won the freestyle motocross season title, taking the PlayStation Pro for his third victory in the five-event competition.

Faris Al-Sultan of Germany won the men’s Ironman Triathlon world championship, finishing in an unofficial 8 hours 14 minutes 16 seconds at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Natascha Badmann of Switzerland won her sixth women’s title, finishing in 9:09:30.