Pitino never said abortion, aide testifies
College basketball: Rick Pitino never said a woman who claimed the Louisville basketball coach got her pregnant after a one-night stand had to get an abortion but did advise she “go out of town” to get medical care, his longtime aide told a jury.
The aide, Tim Sypher, was testifying against the woman, his ex-wife Karen Cunagin Sypher. He testified about helping her get an abortion at her extortion trial. The two divorced after she was indicted last year on charges of demanding cash and gifts worth millions from Pitino to keep secret their 2003 tryst on a restaurant table.
Tim Sypher, 49, testified that he called clinics in Indiana and Ohio before taking the woman, then known as Karen Wise, to Cincinnati, where she terminated the pregnancy on Aug. 29, 2003. Tim Sypher said he paid for the procedure from $3,000 Pitino gave to Karen Sypher for medical care.
Gunmen threatened Wright’s ex-wife
NBA: Lorenzen Wright’s ex-wife was threatened at her home by three men who were carrying guns and looking for the former NBA player about six weeks before he was shot to death, the woman’s attorney said.
Sherra Wright warned her ex-husband, the father of her children, about the visit by men dressed in sport coats with weapons tucked in their waistbands, lawyer Gail Mathes said. But she was frightened by their threats and didn’t tell authorities about it until Monday, when she alerted police in the Memphis, Tenn., suburb of Collierville, near her home.
The body of the 34-year-old athlete was found in woods in Memphis on Wednesday, six days after his family reported him missing. He was last seen around midnight July 18, when he stayed over at his ex-wife’s house.
• Thunder release Weaver: The Oklahoma City Thunder announced they have waived former Washington State guard Kyle Weaver.
Weaver appeared in 68 games with the Thunder, averaging 4.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Weaver averaged 14.3 points per game with the Thunder’s summer league team.
Weekley’s 63 equals best round of year
Golf: Boo Weekley equaled his best round of the year with a 7-under-par 63 on the Old White course at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., to vault into second place, four strokes behind leader Jeff Overton, midway through the inaugural Greenbrier Classic.
Weekley hit 17 greens in regulation and had seven birdies during a bogey-free morning round for a two-day total of 10 under.
Ferris graduate Alex Prugh shot a 72, missing the cut by seven strokes.
• Tseng shoots another 68: Taiwan’s Yani Tseng shot her second consecutive 4-under 68, taking a four-shot lead after the second round of the Women’s British Open at Southport, England. The American duo of Brittany Lincicome and Christie Kerr joined Amy Young of South Korea in the chase entering the weekend.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., shot a 73 and is 10 strokes back of Tseng.
Fans cheer Landis at Catskills race
Cycling: Floyd Landis was back on the pedals, receiving a warm greeting as he competed in the first stage of the Tour of the Catskills in Tannersville, N.Y. Landis raced in a 2.19-mile time trial uphill against about 100 professional cyclists. He finished ninth behind stage winner Aurelien Passeron of France.
Stewart takes pole for Pennsylvania 500
Auto Racing: Tony Stewart zipped his No. 14 Chevy for a qualifying lap of 171.393 mph around the 2.5-mile triangle Pocono Raceway to start from the top for Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500 at Long Pond, Pa.
Juan Pablo Montoya will start second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race for an impressive follow-up to last week’s pole start but disappointing 32nd-place finish at the Brickyard 400.
Lemaitre powers to Euro sprint double
Track and field: Christophe Lemaitre overcame another poor start to win the men’s 200 meters and secure a sprint double, while Russia dominated the women’s events at the European Championships at Barcelona, Spain.
Lemaitre snatched victory by a hundredth of a second, clocking 20.37 seconds.
Tatyana Firova led a Russian sweep of the 400.
• Rudisha victorious: David Rudisha won the 800 meters at the African athletics championships at Nairobi, Kenya, defeating fellow Kenyan and former world champion Alfred Kirwa to win his sixth race in a row.
Rachel Alexandra will run next at Saratoga
Horse racing: Rachel Alexandra, the reigning Horse of the Year, will make her next start in the Personal Ensign Stakes on Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course, principal owner Jess Jackson announced in a statement issued.