Hawaii, Japan in Little League title match
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A team from Hawaii won the U.S. championship game of the Little League World Series Saturday and will now face Japan.
The Waipahu team was led by Noah Shackles, who went 2-for-2 with a homer, and by Ezra Heleski's two-hitter in a 10-0 victory over Pearland, Texas, at South Williamsport, Pa.
The same Little League team beat Matamoros, Mexico, in 2008 to win the world championship.
Meanwhile in the international championship game, Ryo Motegi's run-scoring single in the seventh provided the winning margin as Japan eked out a 3-2 victory over Chinese Taipei.
Japan is looking to become the first international team to win the title since Pabao of Willemstad, Curacao, did so in 2004.
USA routs Croatia in FIBA tourney opener
ISTANBUL, Turkey, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Eric Gordon and Kevin Durant combined for 30 points Saturday and the United States routed Croatia 106-78 in its 2010 FIBA World Championship opener.
Gordon sank four 3-pointers and scored 16 points and Durant added 14 points for the United States, which won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics and dominated in its first game at Istanbul, Turkey.
The Americans last took the FIBA World Championship in 1994.
Chauncey Billups chipped in with 12 points and four assists in the Group B contest.
Croatia was led by Bojan Bogdanovic with a game-high 17 points while Marko Popovic added 16 points.
The United States plays its next game Sunday against Slovenia.
Report: Kovalchuk deal again before NHL
NEWARK, N.J., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The NHL says it is reviewing a revamped contract signed between free agent Russian superstar Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils.
An earlier deal between the high-scoring Kovalchuk and the Devils for $102 million over 17 years was rejected by the league Aug. 9 for circumventing its players' salary cap.
Now the deal has been tweaked and is again before league officials, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Record.
The Bergen County, N.J., newspaper reported Saturday the revamped contract is worth $100 million over 15 years, which would mean a salary cap hit of $6.66 million annually.
Kovalchuk's agent, Yuri Nikolaev, on Thursday reportedly set a 48-hour deadline in getting the deal done or the 27-year-old left wing would entertain offers to play the Russian Kontinental Hockey League.
Wozniacki wins 3rd straight Conn. crown
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Caroline Wozniacki gathered momentum heading into the U.S. Open Saturday, claiming her third straight Pilot Pen Tennis title.
The Danish star prevailed in three sets over Nadia Petrova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, firing 12 aces and winning 67 percent of first-serve points to overcome six double-faults and inconsistent serves at New Haven, Conn.
The world No. 2 won her second consecutive tourney after triumphing in Montreal and gathered steam heading to New York, where last year she finished as U.S. Open runner-up and is this year's top seed.
Wozniacki collected her fourth title of the year and the 10th of her career with Saturday's victory.
Petrova, the No. 8 seed, failed in her bid for a 10th career championship and first since 2008.
