NEW YORK — Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups scored 17 points, nine in an early third-quarter flurry that broke open the game, and the United States beat France 86-55 on Sunday in its only home exhibition before the world basketball championships.
Rudy Gay had 19 points to lead the Americans, who started slowly in their first tuneup before running away from the French in the second half. Billups, one of the few players on the roster with international experience, made three 3-pointers while playing just 15 minutes.
• Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem was arrested for possession of marijuana after a traffic stop in Miami-Dade County.
Haslem was charged with possessing more than 20 grams of marijuana, a felony that could bring maximum punishments of a $5,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence.
• Indiana Pacers draft pick Lance Stephenson has been arrested in his native New York City, accused of assaulting his girlfriend.
Murray defeats Federer
TORONTO — Andy Murray beat Roger Federer 7-5, 7-5 to defend his Rogers Cup title.
The 23-year-old from Scotland overcame several rain delays to become the first man to repeat as champion since Andre Agassi in 1995. He beat world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.
• Seventh-ranked Kim Clijsters overcame a rain delay and three match points to rally for a 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory over No. 15 Maria Sharapova in the championship match of the Cincinnati Women’s Open in Mason, Ohio.
Mystics secure WNBA playoff spot
WASHINGTON — Monique Currie made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points, and the Washington Mystics clinched a WNBA playoff spot when they beat the Seattle Storm 80-71 and the Connecticut Sun lost later in the day.
• Tamika Catchings scored 26 points as the visiting Indiana Fever beat Connecticut 79-66, eliminating the Sun from playoff contention for the second straight season.
• Lindsay Whalen scored 21 points, including six free throws in the final minute, as the Minnesota Lynx defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars 84-78.
Dixon is dialed in
BRAINERD, Minn. — Top fuel points leader Larry Dixon remained perfect in final-round appearances in 2010 with a victory at the NHRA Nationals.
Dixon improved to 9-0 in final rounds and 4-0 against Cory McClenathan this season with a 3.786-second pass at 312.28 mph to McClenathan’s 3.810 at 314.17.
Bob Bode (funny car), Jeg Coughlin (pro stock) and Andrew Hines (pro stock motorcycle) won their respective events.
Footnotes.
Danielle Kang‘s 4-foot putt on the 35th hole in the U.S. Women’s Amateur gave her a 2 and 1 match-play victory over Jessica Korda in Charlotte, N.C.
• Shaun White is winning on wheels again as the Olympic snowboarding gold medalist won the skateboard vert title at the Dew Tour’s stop in Portland, Ore.
• Tyler Farrar, who rides for the Boulder-based Garmin-Transitions team, won the Hamburg Cyclassics ProTour cycling race in Germany.
The Associated Press
