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Pistons name John Kuester head coach

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 9 (UPI) -- John Kuester was hired Thursday to be the next head coach of the NBA's Detroit Pistons, succeeding the fired Michael Curry.

Kuester, 54, signed a multiyear contract, but no terms were disclosed.

He was an assistant with the Pistons in 2004, helping guide them to the NBA Finals, and has worked for five other NBA teams since 1995, most recently with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2007-2009).

"We are pleased to name John Kuester as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons," said Joe Dumars, Detroit president of basketball operations. "John brings a wealth of NBA knowledge as a longtime assistant coach. I feel he has the teaching ability to allow our younger players to grow and develop."

The UNC product was head coach at George Washington University from 1985-1990.

Curry was fired last week after just one season, which ended when Detroit was swept in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs by the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

Hushovd takes Stage 7 at Tour de France

BARCELONA, Spain, July 9 (UPI) -- Thor Hushovd had a strong showing in a late climb and a final sprint Thursday to win the sixth stage of the Tour de France as the race crossed into Spain.

Hushovd finished the 109-mile route from Gerone to Barcelona in 4 hours, 21 minutes and 33 seconds. It was his first stage victory in 2009 but seventh overall.

Oscar Friere was second and Jose Joaquin Rojas third. The first 43 riders were credited with the same finish time.

David Millar led most of the race Thursday but was caught in the final mile by Brice Feillu. Feillu's charge set off a general sprint to the line with Hushovd grabbing the advantage in the final yards.

Overall Tour de France leader Fabian Cancellara and No. 2 Lance Armstrong were among the leading group and remain atop of the tour standings. Alberto Contador is 19 seconds off their pace.

The Tour de France Friday covers 134.4 miles from Barcelona to the Andorran resort of Arcalis. It includes a Category 1 climb midway and a unclassified climb over the final miles.

Green leads the Scottish Open

GLASGOW, Scotland, July 9 (UPI) -- Australia's Richard Green shot 7-under-par 64 Thursday and had a one-stroke lead at the Scottish Open golf tournament in Glasgow, Scotland.

An eagle at the par-5 13th hole followed by two straight birdies helped Green hold a lead for the first time this season at a European Tour event.

"I haven't handled the pressure quite as well as I would have liked to," the 38-year-old Melbourne native said. "The more I put myself there, the more and more I feel like I can do it."

Spain's Gonzalo Fdes-Castano, England's Graeme Storm, Martin Laird of the United States and Ireland's Paul McGinley all shot 6-under 65 and share second place at the Loch Lomond Golf Club.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland shot 1-under 70, closing with a bogey-5 at the par-4 18th hole, and joined 27 others in a tie for 52nd place.

Phelps wins twice at U.S. championships

Olympic superstar Michael Phelps won two races, and Aaron Peirsol reclaimed his 100-meter backstroke world record Wednesday at the U.S. Swimming Championships.

Phelps, winner of 14 Olympic gold medals, captured the 200-meter freestyle and the 200-meter butterfly. He was timed in 1:44.23 in the freestyle, 0.72 of a second ahead of David Walters.

In the butterfly, Phelps posted a time of 1:52.76 to easily defeat Tyler Clary.

Peirsol turned in a 51.94 in the 100-meter backstroke, lowering the world mark set this month by Aschwin Wildeboer Faber of Spain. Peirsol won the event at each of the last two Olympics.

In the other finals, Hayley McGregory captured the women's 100-meter backstroke in 1:00.07, and Dana Vollmer, an Olympic gold medalist in Athens, won the women's 200-meter freestyle in 1:56.20.

This year's national championships are being used as the qualifying meet for the world championships in Rome this month.