US women's basketball wins fourth straight gold

By DOUG FEINBERG

BEIJING (AP) — Lisa Leslie and the U.S. women's basketball team were once again too good for Australia at the Olympics.

Leslie capped off her illustrious Olympic career with a fourth straight gold medal scoring 14 points in a 92-65 victory against Australia on Saturday night. She joined former teammate Teresa Edwards as the only basketball players ever to win four gold medals.

"It's a blessing for me to be out on this floor, now participating in my fourth Olympics and walking away with a fourth gold medal," Leslie said.

US women's basketball wins fourth straight gold....

WNBA suspends 10 players and Mahorn for skirmish

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA swiftly suspended the Detroit and Los Angeles players and Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn for their role in a skirmish at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Shock forward Plenette Pierson was suspended Thursday for four games, the harshest penalty, for initiating and escalating the altercation.

Mahorn was suspended for two games as were Shannon Bobbitt and Murriel Page of the Sparks.

"As a team, we're incensed that Rick Mahorn was suspended," Detroit coach Bill Laimbeer said in a telephone interview from Houston, where the Shock were scheduled to play the Comets. "He was trying to be a peacemaker and now he's being thrown under the bus."

WNBA suspends 10 players and Mahorn for skirmish....

Leslie, Parker involved in melee with Shock

By VIN A. CHERWOO

Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker are the only players to have dunked in a WNBA game.

On Tuesday night, they were involved in a skirmish — another occurrence more frequently connected with the men's game — at, of all places, The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Parker was one of three players ejected, along with Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn, after the scuffle with 4.6 seconds left in the Los Angeles Sparks' 84-81 victory over the Shock.

In case you missed the melee, which was late in a nationally televised game on ESPN2, it started moments after Parker and Detroit's Cheryl Ford had to be separated after Ford fouled Parker.

On the next possession, Parker got tangled up with Detroit's Plenette Pierson and fell to the ground. As Parker was getting up, Pierson hovered over the Sparks' rookie, who pulled her to the ground.

Leslie, Parker involved in melee with Shock....

Parker, Leslie among players chosen for Games

Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Lisa Leslie will have help from Los Angeles Sparks teammate Candace Parker when the U.S. women's basketball team tries to win a fourth straight Olympic gold medal.

They were two of the nine players placed on the team Saturday. The announcement came before Los Angeles played Washington in a WNBA game.

Leslie won gold medals at the last three Olympics. Former U.S. star Teresa Edwards won four Olympic titles, but a bronze in 1992 interrupted her run from 1984-2000.

Also on the team for Beijing are Olympic veterans Katie Smith, Tina Thompson, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird. This will be Smith's third Olympics. Cappie Pondexter, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles will make their Olympic debuts.

"I'm just thrilled to have these nine players officially named to the team," U.S. Olympic coach Anne Donovan said. "It's such a great mixture of Olympic gold medalists with some really tremendous young talent."

The other three members will be announced by July 1. Possible candidates include Kara Lawson, Swin Cash, Lindsey Harding and, Lindsay Whalen.

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