KARLOVY VARY, Czech Republic — The U.S. scored 19 of the first 25 points and went on to a 106-44 rout of South Korea on Friday at the women’s basketball world championship.
As if the Americans (7-0) weren’t having an easy enough time, the road to an eighth title got a lot less difficult with losses by defending champion Australia and Russia. The Americans will face Spain in today’s semifinals.
“We’re very happy with the win and we’re really excited to be in the semis regardless of who we play,” U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said. “It’s going to be a great game.”
The Czech Republic knocked off Australia 79-68, and Belarus overcame former Colorado State star Becky Hammon‘s 16 points to upset top-seeded Russia 70-53.
Kahne wins pole at Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kasey Kahne and Paul Menard swept the front row in qualifying for Sunday’s Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Kahne drove his Ford to a lap of 174.644 mph, while Menard ran 174.469 mph on the 1.5-mile tri-oval.
Jeff Gordon qualified third at 174.430 in his Chevrolet. He was the highest qualifier among drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Points leader Denny Hamlin qualified 12th — but that was still nine spots better than four-time Cup winner Jimmie Johnson, who will start 21st.
• Dario Franchitti moved within 11 points of Will Power for the IndyCar championship after taking the pole for tonight’s Indy 300 in Homestead, Fla.
Contador denies blood doping
MADRID — Three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador denied his positive test for a banned drug stems from blood doping rather than contaminated steak, his spokesman said.
The French sports daily L’Equipe reported the German lab that found a tiny amount of the banned drug clenbuterol in Contador’s urine sample also found plastic residues of the kind that might turn up after a transfusion of blood from a plastic bag.
Spokesman Jacinto Vidarte said the Spaniard “categorically denies having a blood transfusion.”
“There is nothing to that,” Vidarte said. “It is a science fiction story.”
Footnotes.
The NBA informed teams that fines for technicals will double from last season’s amounts, with players and coaches getting docked $2,000 for each of their first five technical fouls. The costs rise to $3,000 for the next five, followed by $4,000 for Nos. 11-15. Starting at 16, players are suspended one game for every two technicals, along with $5,000 for each.
• Kentucky freshman center Enes Kanter must sit out all team activities until the NCAA determines his amateur status.
• U.S. Olympic ice dancers Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates will miss the Grand Prix season after Bates severed his Achilles tendon in a “freak” training accident.
• The United States rallied for a 3-2 victory over Cameroon at the men’s volleyball world championships in Rome.
• Zenyatta seeks to remain undefeated in her 19th start when she takes on five rivals in today’s $250,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes in Inglewood, Calif.
