Clippers Close to Signing Veteran Aaron Williams

Looking for depth along their front line, the Clippers are expected to sign 12-year veteran Aaron Williams to a two-year, $3.54-million deal, pending a physical examination this weekend.

“We’re close to agreement,” Mark Bartlestein, Williams’ agent, said from his Chicago office Friday.

A Clippers official said the team would have no comment.

The Clippers will be the 10th team for the 6-foot-9, 235-pound Williams, a 34-year-old left-hander who wasn’t drafted out of Xavier in 1993 and got his first real shot under Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1995.

Traded by New Jersey to Toronto in the multi-player 2004 deal in which Alonzo Mourning refused to report, Williams played parts of two seasons for the Raptors before going to the New Orleans Hornets and averaging 20 minutes and six points over the last 34 games.

Last season the Clippers’ reserve center, Zeljko Rebraca, was sidelined intermittently by a heart problem and played only 29 games. Williams gives the team a No. 3 center who can also back up power forward Elton Brand.

“He has a relationship with Mike,” Bartlestein said of Williams. “Mike coached him in Milwaukee. Mike gave him his first chance in the league. The Clippers have a chance to really do something, so I think it was a combination of that and their relationship.”

-- Mark Heisler

Sparks guard Mwadi Mabika was suspended for one game for swinging at and making contact to the head of San Antonio guard Kendra Wecker in Wednesday’s WNBA game. Mabika will serve the suspension Sunday when the Sparks play at Seattle.

-- Mike Terry

HOCKEY

Ducks’ Vishnevski Gets His Arbitration Award

Ducks defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski, a restricted free agent, was awarded a one-year, $1.55-million deal after presenting his case before an arbitrator Wednesday.

Vishnevski, 26, was one of four Ducks to appear in every game last season and led the team with 196 hits. He made $1.14 million and the Ducks extended the same salary as a qualifying offer before arbitration.

The Ducks have until Sunday to accept the arbitrator’s ruling or trade Vishnevski. If the team declines, Vishnevski becomes an unrestricted free agent.

-- Jonathan Abrams

The Buffalo Sabres and center Tim Connolly avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a three-year, $8.9-million contract.... Peter Schaefer, coming off the best season of his seven-year NHL career, agreed to a four-year, $8.4-million contract with the Ottawa Senators.... The Vancouver Canucks signed free-agent defenseman Yannick Tremblay to a one-year deal.

Sam Fingold, a Hartford, Conn., commercial real estate broker and longtime hockey fan, signed a letter of intent to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins from Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux’s group for about $175 million.

SOCCER

Parreira Nearing Deal to Coach South Africa

Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said he was close to reaching an agreement to manage 2010 World Cup host South Africa, a deal that would mark his return to the continent after nearly 40 years.

Parreira, who resigned from Brazil last week, got his first national-team coaching job when he took over Ghana in 1967.

TENNIS

Golovin Pulls an Upset to Reach the Semifinals

Tatiana Golovin upset fourth-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-4, 7-6 (5), to reach the semifinals in the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.

Golovin will face second-seeded Patty Schnyder, a 6-4, 7-5 winner over Jill Craybas. Nicole Vaidisova also was a winner, 6-4, 6-2, over Samantha Stosur, 6-4, 6-2, and Kim Clijsters defeated Vera Zvonareva, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

Anna Smashnova beat top-seeded Catalina Castano, 6-2, 6-2, and advanced to the semifinals of the Budapest Grand Prix at Hungary.... Five-time champion Carlos Moya beat Juan-Pablo Guzman, 6-1, 6-4, in the quarterfinals of the Croatia Open at Umag.... Agustin Calleri beat defending champion Gaston Gaudio, 7-5, 6-0, in the quarterfinals of the Generali Open at Kitzbuehel, Austria.

MISCELLANY

Ting Brothers to Stop Playing Football for USC

USC defensive backs Brandon and Ryan Ting have decided to stop playing football so they can concentrate on preparing for medical school, the school announced.

The twins, who are seniors, played mainly on special teams and as back-ups. They graduated in the spring with grade-point averages above 3.8.

The Tings are the sons of Dr. Arthur Ting, a Bay Area orthopedic surgeon who has done operations for a number of professional athletes, including Barry Bonds.

-- Gary Klein

Philadelphia Eagles receiver Jabar Gaffney was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a handgun after a traffic stop last month, Camden County (N.J.) prosecutors said.

Tic Price was fired after five years as McNeese State’s men’s basketball coach. The school did not give a specific reason. Price was 74-68 in five seasons at McNeese.

Vivian Harris, a former World Boxing Assn. super lightweight champion, will face Stevie Johnston tonight in a bout at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez.

Johnston, a former two-time World Boxing Council lightweight champion, is a late fill-in for Mike Arnaoutis.