DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons fired coach John Kuester on Sunday, four days after Tom Gores completed an agreement to buy the team from Karen Davidson.
Kuester was 57-107 over two seasons with Detroit, which failed to make the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since missing the playoffs three straight times from 1993-95. This past season was a dreary one, with the proud franchise making more news for internal squabbling than any on-court accomplishments.
Team president Joe Dumars said there was no timetable for hiring a successor.
Massey rules in top-fuel final
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. — Spencer Massey raced to his second consecutive top-fuel victory, beating points leader Del Worsham at the NHRA SuperNationals.
Mike Neff (funny car), Allen Johnson (pro stock) and Matt Smith (pro stock motorcycle) also won their categories.
Massey beat Worsham in the final with a run of 3.821 seconds at 319.07 mph. Worsham kept the points lead with his fourth final- round appearance of the season.
U.S. women win Cup tuneup
HARRISON, N.J. — Lauren Cheney scored in stoppage time to give the U.S. women’s soccer team a 1-0 victory over Mexico in a final tuneup before the women’s World Cup.
The Americans dominated the match through 90 minutes, but were unable to score until Cheney unleashed a 25-yard blast in the first minute of stoppage time.
Abby Wambach had the assist on the goal in her 157th international game.
Augusta State repeats golf feat
STILLWATER, Okla. — Patrick Reed closed out Augusta State’s second straight NCAA golf title, beating Georgia’s Harris English 2 and 1 in the featured matchup between each team’s top player.
Reed needed only a double bogey to halve the 17th hole and win the championship after English hit his second shot into a lake left of the green.
The Jaguars, who compete in Division II in all sports except golf, also got victories from Mitchell Krywulycz and Carter Newman to win the final match 3-2.
ASU, Florida in softball final
OKLAHOMA CITY — Dallas Escobedo threw a five-hit shutout, Mandy Urfer hit a two-run homer and top-seeded Arizona State beat Baylor 4-0 to reach the finals of the Women’s College World Series.
• Kelsey Bruder and Brittany Schutte hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, sending Florida to a 9-2 victory over Alabama and into a best-of-three series with the Sun Devils.
Footnotes.
Big Ten presidents and chancellors voted to keep the conference football championship game in Indianapolis through at least 2015. The inaugural game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium this fall.
• Dartmouth used speed and finesse to run over Army 32-10 in the final of the USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship in Philadelphia.
The Associated Press
