Russia Ends U.S. Women’s Winning Streak at 26 Games

Russia beat the two-time defending champion United States, 75-68, in the semifinals of the women’s basketball world championships Thursday night at Sao Paulo, Brazil, ending the Americans’ 26-game winning streak in this event.

Russia took advantage of poor shooting and sloppy ball-handling by the U.S. to take a 58-38 lead after three quarters. The Americans closed the score to 73-68 with 45 seconds left, but after two missed free throws by Oxana Rakhmatulina with 30 seconds left, the U.S. took up almost all of the 24-second shot clock and Candace Parker missed a layup with 12 seconds left. Ilona Korstin made two free throws with 10 seconds to go and Russia (5-3) advanced to Saturday’s gold medal game against Australia (8-0), which beat Brazil, 88-76, in the other semifinal.

“It’s going to be hard, knowing that we’re not going to be playing for the gold medal,” U.S. forward Sheryl Swoopes said.

Atlanta Hawks guard Speedy Claxton is questionable for the beginning of the season after breaking a bone in his left hand.

Acquired this summer, Claxton was injured during a workout Monday.

The Hornets have requested an option that would allow the team to spend a third season in Oklahoma City as a contingency plan if it is unable to return to New Orleans in 2007-08 as planned.

TENNIS

Mauresmo Wins and

Will Play Davenport

Top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo won her China Open debut to set up a quarterfinal matchup with fifth-seeded Lindsay Davenport.

Mauresmo cruised past Sun Tiantian, 6-3, 6-2, and Davenport eliminated Zheng Jie, 6-2, 7-6 (4), at Beijing. Third-seeded Nadia Petrova and No. 6 Jelena Jankovic also won second-round matches in straight sets.

Davenport has won her last nine matches against Mauresmo and is 12 of 15 overall.

Andreja Klepac, ranked 244th and playing before home fans, upset fifth-seeded Romina Oprandi, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, to reach the quarterfinals at the Slovenia Open at Portoroz.

Fifth-seeded Sania Mirza withstood a tough first set before a cheering home crowd and defeated Sandra Kloesel, 7-5, 6-3, to advance to the Sunfeast Open quarterfinals at Kolkata, India.

MOTOR RACING

Lawsuit: Team’s Engine

Modifications Illegal

A former employee of Richard Childress Racing says in a wrongful termination lawsuit that the team used illegal engine modifications at this year’s Daytona 500 events, including in the car of pole sitter Jeff Burton.

When Childress was told of the problem, the owner responded by saying: “All teams do something to enhance performance,” according to the lawsuit, filed by Anthony Corrente and reported on the Charlotte Observer’s website.

An RCR spokesman told the Observer that the allegations in the lawsuit are untrue.

Southern California auto racing Saturday night includes a six-race program at Irwindale Speedway. Travis Thirkettle of Newhall needs only a 14th or better finish to clinch his first late-model title, and Bryan Harrell of Riverside can lock up the super-stock championship by finishing 18th or better.

The late-model class also heads a four-race program at the half-mile Perris Auto Speedway, with Art Peterson of Cathedral City holding a 22-point lead in the division. But the top four drivers are separated by only 40 points.

Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino also plans several races, led by the ASA super late models, and VRA sprint cars head a six-race program at Ventura Raceway.

-- Jim Peltz

MISCELLANY

Discovery Shakes Up

Its Cycling Team

The Discovery Channel team is parting with several riders who helped Lance Armstrong win one or more of his seven consecutive Tour de France titles.

American George Hincapie, long considered Armstrong’s key teammate, is staying with the squad.

Among the 11 cyclists leaving are two-time Giro d’Italia champion Paolo Savoldelli, climber Jose Azevedo, Manuel Beltran, Viatcheslav Ekimov and Benoit Joachim.

World championship medalist Barry Forde has been banned from cycling for two years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Former USC defensive lineman Frostee Rucker is scheduled to be arraigned today in Los Angeles Superior Court in connection with an alleged incident that occurred in August 2005.

Rucker, a third-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of spousal battery and two misdemeanor counts of vandalism in June. His arraignment has been continued twice and his attorney, Leonard Levine, said Thursday that he would ask the judge to put it over again because phone records that were subpoenaed had not been received.

-- Gary Klein

Iowa basketball Coach Steve Alford received a one-year contract extension. The Cedar Rapids Gazette also reported that the coach was cited for failure to maintain control in a four-vehicle accident Saturday morning in Iowa City. Alford, 42, was driving a black Cadillac Escalade when his vehicle rear-ended a Chevrolet Blazer.

The Blazer rear-ended a Mitsubishi, which in turn hit another vehicle. There were no injuries in the accident.

Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh was released from a Tokyo hospital after a long rehabilitation following July 17 surgery for stomach cancer.

Evgeni Malkin dislocated his left shoulder during his first exhibition game with the Pittsburgh Penguins, knocking him out of practice and raising questions about his availability for the Oct. 5 opener.

The Dallas Stars signed left wing Brenden Morrow to a $24.6-million, six-year contract extension, locking him up through 2012-13.

Winger Brian Savage retired from the NHL after a 12-year career that included stops in Montreal, Phoenix, St. Louis and Philadelphia.