James Sparks U.S. Team to Rout of South Korea

LeBron James is on a mission to put USA Basketball back on top of the world.

In a game decided in the first 10 minutes at Seoul, James scored 23 points Tuesday to lead the United States to an emphatic 116-63 victory over South Korea in a tuneup for the world championships.

“We were a little sluggish at first and I was able to pick up my energy level and the guys followed,” James said.

The U.S. improved to 5-0 in exhibition games leading to the worlds, which begin this week in Japan.

Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets scored the game-winner and finished with 21 points to lift China past Australia, 63-61, at Kunshan, China.

Boris Diaw of the Phoenix Suns scored 15 points to help power France to an 86-74 victory over Brazil at Kunshan.

SOCCER

Nedved to Retire From International Play

Czech Republic midfielder Pavel Nedved will retire from international soccer after his team plays Serbia today in a friendly. The Juventus midfielder came out of retirement last year to help the Czech team reach the World Cup.

New England Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey was suspended two games and fined $1,000 for violent conduct in the Revolution’s 0-0 tie with the Kansas City Wizards a week ago.

Seeking to become UCLA’s 100th NCAA champion, the women’s soccer team will open its season Aug. 25 at Penn State as the top-ranked team in the nation.

TENNIS

Nadal Beats Querrey; Federer Advances

Rafael Nadal, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, needed three sets to put away wild card Sam Querrey in the first round of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters at Mason, Ohio.

Querrey, an 18-year-old ranked 178th, pressed Nadal throughout until the Spaniard won, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4.

Roger Federer defeated Paradorn Srichaphan, 7-5, 6-4.

Martina Hingis rallied from a second-set deficit to defeat Mara Santangelo, 7-5, 7-6, in the second round of the Rogers Cup at Montreal.

Martina Navratilova’s retirement send-off at the U.S. Open will include induction into the U.S. Open Court of Champions.

She’ll be inducted along with the late Don Budge, a two-time winner, in ceremonies Sept. 10.

MISCELLANY

Landis’ Former Team Is Shutting Down

Floyd Landis’ former cycling team will shut down at the end of the season.

Phonak owner Andy Rihs said that he has been unable to find a buyer for his team since Landis, this year’s Tour de France champion, was busted for doping. “I’ve had to do something I’ve never done in my whole life: Give up,” Rihs said.

Indiana Coach Kelvin Sampson was reprimanded by the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches over recruiting violations during his tenure at Oklahoma.

His membership was put on probation for three years and he is prohibited from serving in an official capacity with the organization. He is also ineligible for district and national coach of the year awards and will lose his Final Four ticket privileges.

The Ducks signed veteran defenseman Ian Moran to a one-year contract.

Moran, 33, played in only 12 games with the Boston Bruins last season as he had knee surgery.

The Ducks also announced that an individual game ticket package to the Oct. 6 regular season home opener against the Kings and the Oct. 9 home game against the St. Louis Blues will go on sale this morning at 10. Tickets to the team’s four exhibition home games will also be on sale.

-- Eric Stephens

NFL Network has hired Marshall Faulk as a studio commentator to work alongside analyst Rod Woodson and host Rich Eisen on “Total Access,” which airs Monday through Sunday at 4 p.m. Faulk makes his debut tonight.

“L.A. Times High School Spotlight,” televised by FSN Prime Ticket during the school year, won a local Emmy Award for best sports series at the 58th Los Angeles Emmy Awards ceremony. The show features Times sportswriters Mike Terry and Eric Sondheimer.

-- Larry Stewart

The debut of ESPN’s Monday Night Football drew a 4.5 rating, the network’s highest-rated NFL exhibition game in four years. A ratings point represents 1,096,000 households, or 1% of the nation’s estimated 109.6 million TV homes.

A typewritten, “cryptic” threat against Maurice Clarett was sent to the law office representing the jailed former Ohio State football player, his attorney said. The message, sent from Los Angeles and received Monday, was typed on a piece of paper, cut out and taped on a postcard, said Michael Hoague, one of Clarett’s attorneys.

Paul Tracy was fined $25,000 and docked three championship points for taking out Champ Car points leader Sebastien Bourdais in the final turn of the Grand Prix of Denver.

Elliott Sadler will take over the No. 19 Dodge at Evernham Motorsports beginning with this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway.

Dustin Emmons was the winning pitcher and Matt Smoley homered as San Gabriel Valley defeated Nederland (Texas), 8-2, in the Senior Babe Ruth World Series at Newark, Ohio.

The Seattle SuperSonics and forward Chris Wilcox agreed on a three-year, $24-million contract.