Fast Break

Olympics

Shanteau OK for Beijing

Eric Shanteau, who decided to put off surgery for testicular cancer until after the Olympics, has been cleared to head to Beijing with the U.S. swim team.

The national men’s coach, Eddie Reese, said Wednesday that Shanteau just got the results of his final blood tests. They showed no spread of the cancer, which was discovered last month.

“The bloodwork says he is ready to go straight through Beijing,” Reese said.

Shanteau will compete in the 200-meter breaststroke.

Basketball

WNBA fight under review

The WNBA is watching replays of the skirmish involving the Detroit Shock, Los Angeles Sparks and former Pistons Bad Boy Rick Mahorn.

“The WNBA is reviewing the incident in its entirety,” WNBA spokesman Ron Howard said Wednesday.

The melee at The Palace of Auburn Hills broke out Tuesday night with 4.6 seconds left in a game won by the Sparks.

Detroit’s Plenette Pierson and assistant coach Mahorn were ejected, along with Los Angeles players Candace Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones.

Parker and Pierson got tangled up and fell to the court. Deanna Nolan tackled Parker and Mahorn appeared to push L.A. star Lisa Leslie to the court.

Shock forward Cheryl Ford appeared to be injured while trying to restrain Pierson during the confrontation and is now out for the season because of an anterior cruciate ligament tear in her right knee.

The Shock made the announcement following an MRI exam.

Olympics

Golden guarantee

No more bronze medals for LeBron James. This time he’s coming home with gold – and that’s a guarantee.

So he says, anyway.

The Cleveland superstar made his guarantee in a Time magazine story that hits newsstands Friday.

After comparing the feeling of receiving a gold medal on the podium to opening a prized gift on Christmas morning, James was asked if that meant he would lead the Americans to the title.

“Absolutely,” James responded.

Asked if he guaranteed it, he repeated, “Absolutely.”