sports in brief

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jun 18, 2006

Auto racing: Kahne upset about hitting wall during practice

Pole winner Kasey Kahne was kicking himself mentally Saturday after slapping the wall during practice for the 3M Performance 400 at Brooklyn, Mich.

"I'm fine," Kahne said as he studied the damage to the right side of his No. 9 Dodge Charger. "I'm upset with myself for making that mistake and giving these guys a lot of extra work. But I think they'll fix it up as good as it was before."

Kahne was on his fifth lap of the session and driving off turn two on the 2-mile Michigan International Speedway oval when he suddenly slid up to the wall.

"I hit the right rear corner of the car and then it slapped the whole side after that," he said.

At first, Kahne was concerned that he might have to go to a backup car, meaning he would have to start from the rear of the 43- car field in today's race. Then he thought about the fact that this is a car he has won in and the one he considers his favorite among the fleet that team owner Ray Evernham provides during the season.

"This has been our lucky car," Kahne said. "I don't want to mess it up, but we've got a bunch of cars that are just as good. We just haven't won with them."

Brandon Bernstein led Top Fuel qualifying for the 10th time in his career Saturday, topping the field in the K&N Filters Supernationals at Englishtown, N.J., with a quarter-mile run of 4.534 seconds at 329.50 mph.

Bernstein's father, NHRA star Kenny Bernstein, has won a career- high seven races at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, but Brandon has yet to even win a round at the historic track that was the site of the accident that ended his 2003 season.

Long Island City driver Tony Bartone topped the Funny Car field, and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Chip Ellis (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also led their divisions in the $1.8 million event.

Johnny Benson finally broke through with a victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, holding off a challenge from Mark Martin in a two-lap, overtime shootout Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

Martin, the Nextel Cup star who has won three of six previous truck starts this season in a part-time ride, appeared stronger on long green-flag runs. But Benson, driving a Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing, got a break when four of the eight caution flags in the 102-lap event waved in the final 28 trips around the 2-mile oval.

Basketball: Roby will return to

CU instead of testing NBA draft

Colorado guard Richard Roby will return to the team next season instead of testing the NBA draft.

"I felt it was the best decision for me," Roby said in a statement released by the school. "I'm not a gambling man and I know coming back for my junior year can help me be a better player and show my leadership."

Although the 6-foot-6, 195-pound shooting guard participated in a number of NBA pre-draft camps, he didn't hire an agent and therefore retained his eligibility.

Roby averaged 17 points per game over the last two seasons.

The deadline to withdraw from the draft is 4 p.m. CDT today.

UCLA guard Arron Afflalo withdrew from the NBA draft Saturday, allowing him to return for his junior season. Jordan Farmar, the other half of the Bruins' star backcourt, declared for the draft the same day in April as Afflalo. Neither player signed with an agent, so Farmar is eligible to return, too.

Brent "Buzz" Williams was hired Saturday as head coach at the University of New Orleans.

The 33-year-old Williams spent the past two years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas A&M.

Williams replaces Monte Towe, who left the Privateers to become an associate head coach at North Carolina State.

Alana Beard scored 26 points, including 10 straight to open the fourth quarter, and the Washington Mystics defeated the New York Liberty 88-70 Saturday at Washington.

Nikki Teasley added a career-high 26 for Washington and shot 6- for-10 from 3-point range. The Mystics (7-3) won their third consecutive game and improved to 6-0 at home.

Deanna Nolan had 20 points and eight rebounds and Cheryl Ford added her second straight double-double, helping the Detroit Shock beat the Houston Comets 71-55 at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The game featured four of the 10 players selected this week to the WNBA's All-Decade team - Detroit's Katie Smith and Houston's Tina Thompson, Sheryl Swoopes and Dawn Staley.

General: Blake beats fellow U.S. player Roddick in Queen's semi

James Blake beat defending champion Andy Roddick 7-5, 6-4 in an all-American semifinal Saturday at London and advanced to the Queen's Club final against Lleyton Hewitt.

Hewitt won his semifinal match earlier in the grass-court tournament, beating Britain's Tim Henman 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Roger Federer moved into the final of the Gerry Weber Open with a 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 victory over sixth-seeded Tommy Haas at Halle, Germany.

Federer moved within a win of equaling Bjorn Borg's grass-court record of 41 wins from 1976-81.

The three-time Wimbledon champion will play Tomas Berdych in the final.

Ricky Williams finished with 97 yards on 18 carries in the Toronto Argonauts' 27-17 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.