Injury forces Arenas off USA basketball team
SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas suffered a groin strain during Team USA's practice in Seoul Monday.
The injury will force Arenas to withdraw from contention for the 2006 World Championship team.
"We know Gilbert is really disappointed," said USA Basketball senior national team managing director Jerry Colangelo. "It's an unfortunate situation but he is not going to be able to continue on. This is a precautionary move but it is important that he return home and get treatment."
Arenas played in each of the four USA pre-World Championship games, averaging 3.8 points per game and 2.3 rebounds.
Team USA has won all four of its exhibition encounters and will conclude its exhibition schedule against Korea on Tuesday afternoon.
Preliminary games in the 2006 World Championship begin Saturday
Nalbandian wins; Davydenko loses in Cincy
MASON, Ohio, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Masters Cup champion David Nalbandian advanced but Russian Nikolay Davydenko was upset Monday at the Cincinnati Masters.
The event is formally know as the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.
Nalbandian rebounded from his opening-round loss at last week's Rogers Masters by beating South African Rik De Voest 6-0, 6-4, following a lengthy rain delay.
A former Wimbledon runner-up Nalbandian upset Roger Federer in last year's Masters Cup finale in Shanghai.
Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela knocked off Davydenko in 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. Davydenko also dropped his opening match last week, in Toronto, after winning a title in Poland the week before.
Eighth-seeded Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis, of Cyprus, avoided an upset by defeating Swede Thomas Johansson 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3).
UTEP names Barbee head basketball coach
EL PASO, Texas, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Texas-El Paso has named Tony Barbee its new head men's basketball coach.
Barbee replaces recently departed Doc Sadler, who took the head coaching job at Nebraska.
Barbee, 35, goes to West Texas after serving as an assistant under John Calipari at Memphis. Barbee was also a player under Calipari at UMass from 1989-93.
Memphis is considered the top program in Conference USA, which added UTEP as a member just one year ago.
During Barbee's six-year run at Memphis, the Tigers won 148 games, an average of nearly 25 victories per season. Memphis has also made six consecutive postseason tournament appearances and enjoyed six straight 20-win seasons. The Tigers in the 2005-06 campaign had a 33-4 record and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Pennetta, Kirilenko win Rogers openers
MONTREAL, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Italian Flavia Pennetta and Russian Maria Kirilenko were among Monday's opening-round winners at the $1.34 million women's Rogers Cup in Montreal.
Pennetta defeated Russian Galina Voskoboeva 6-3, 6-1, and Kirilenko beat Croat Jelena Kostanic 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik moved on by beating Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 7-5, and Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues defeated American Laura Granville 7-5, 6-4.
Also, Italians Alberta Brianti beat Indian Sania Mirza 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
