Bruins’ Shipp Has Hip Surgery

UCLA sophomore forward Josh Shipp, one of four returning starters from last season’s NCAA tournament team, had arthroscopic hip surgery Wednesday and will be sidelined until at least December.

“I’m very pleased that the outcome was a successful one and we’re looking forward to having Josh back as soon as he is completely healed,” UCLA Coach Ben Howland said in a statement.

Originally scheduled to have the surgery performed by a school doctor at the UCLA Medical Center, Shipp had the procedure done by Dr. Carlos A. Guanche at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Van Nuys, a week after his family decided to seek a second opinion.

Guanche performed a similar surgery on Shipp’s older brother, Joe, who played at California.

Shipp, expected to be sidelined eight to 12 weeks, averaged 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds last season. The former Fairfax High standout played 27.9 minutes a game and started 23 of the Bruins’ final 24 games, earning honorable mention All-Pacific 10 Conference honors.

Cedric Bozeman, a 6-foot-7 senior who missed all of last season because of a knee injury; Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, a 6-7 freshman from Cameroon who attended Montverde Florida Academy last season; and Michael Roll, a 6-5 freshman from Aliso Niguel High, are expected to compete for Shipp’s position.

UCLA starts practice Oct. 14.

Lonnie White

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Tennis

Defending champion Maria Sharapova has qualified for the season-ending WTA Championships at Staples Center, Nov. 8-13. The 18-year-old Russian joins U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters of Belgium and Australian Open and Wimbledon finalist Lindsay Davenport of Laguna Beach, who have already qualified.

Sharapova, the Wimbledon champion in 2004, reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and the Australian Open this year.

Clijsters defeated Klara Koukalova, 6-3, 6-0, to reach the quarterfinals of the Fortis Championships at Luxembourg.

Clijsters will meet Francesca Schiavone, who advanced when Virginie Razzano retired with a left thigh strain after losing the first set, 6-2.

Defending champion Roger Federer advanced to the second round of the Thailand Open, defeating Marcos Daniel, 7-6 (3), 6-4, at Bangkok. Lleyton Hewitt also won his first-round match, defeating Lukas Dlouhy, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

Juan Carlos Ferrero beat fellow Spaniard Oscar Hernandez, 6-3, 6-4, in the second round of the Palermo International in Sicily.

Jelena Jankovic defeated Meghann Shaughnessy, 7-6 (2), 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Korea Open at Seoul.

Mariano Puerta held off Go Soeda, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4, at the ATP Vietnam Open at Hanoi.

Zina Garrison will remain captain of the U.S. Fed Cup team through next year, the U.S. Tennis Assn. said.

The Nasdaq-100 Open tournament will pay women the same prize money as men next year.

The purse will increase to $3.45 million from $3.1 million for the tournament in Miami next March 20-April 2. The event is one of the few outside the Grand Slam events where women and men play at the same venue at the same time.

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Miscellany

The North Dakota Fighting Sioux will remain on the list of college nicknames the NCAA doesn’t want used in postseason play.

The university’s appeal was rejected by an NCAA review committee because it did not have the support of the three federally recognized Sioux tribes of North Dakota, the governing body said.

North Dakota President Charles Kupchella said he would appeal the decision to the NCAA’s executive committee.

American Lamon Brewster stopped German challenger Luan Krasniqi in the ninth round of a bruising defense of the World Boxing Organization heavyweight title in Hamburg, Germany.

The New Orleans VooDoo will not play the 2006 Arena Football League season because of damage to the New Orleans Arena from Hurricane Katrina.

Eight 2004 Olympic gold medalists, including veterans Kristine Lilly and Kate Markgraf, were chosen to the U.S. soccer squad that will play against Australia on Oct. 16 at Cal State Fullerton.

The roster also features gold medalists Heather Mitts, Cat Reddick, Shannon Boxx, Aly Wagner, Angela Hucles and Abby Wambach.

In addition, forward Tiffeny Milbrett returns from a six-week stint with Swedish club Sunanna SK.

Washington Wizard rookie Andray Blatche will miss training camp while he recovers from gunshot wounds from an attempted carjacking.

The 19-year-old forward was shot once early Sunday morning while riding in a car near his home in Alexandria, Va. The bullet hit him in the right forearm and on the left side of his chest.

The Champ Car World Series called off its Grand Prix of Ansan, scheduled for Oct. 16 in South Korea.