Leslie, Swoopes head U.S. women’s team

Three-time Olympic gold medalists Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes were among the first eight players selected Tuesday to the United States women’s basketball team for the world championships.

The eight “core” players will be joined by four others to be picked later for the worlds in Sao Paulo, Brazil in September. The U.S. won the world title in 1998 and 2002 and has won 19 straight games at the tourney.

Joining Leslie and Swoopes is two-time Olympian Katie Smith and four members of the gold-medal winning team from the 2004 Olympics in Athens – Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm, Tamika Catchings, Diana Taurasi and Tina Thompson. DeLisha Milton-Jones was also picked.

•California forward Leon Powe said he would go ahead with his plans to be part of the NBA draft and hire an agent.

•UCLA will play Texas A&M and Southern Cal will take on George Washington in the John R. Wooden Classic doubleheader Dec. 9 in Anaheim, Calif.

Hockey

Vancouver wins

Gilbert Brule scored twice to spark the Vancouver Giants to a 3-2 win over the Peterborough Petes in the Memorial Cup in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Vancouver and Peterborough sport 1-2 records and will play a tiebreaker game Thursday. Moncton (2-0) and Quebec (1-1) play today with the winner advancing to Sunday’s championship game against the winner of the tiebreaker game.

Tennis

Stanford wins title

Stanford’s women won their third straight NCAA title with a 4-1 victory over Miami in Stanford, Calif.

Pepperdine’s men won their first title with a 4-2 win over previously unbeaten Georgia.

Auto racing

Yates fires D’Hondt

Eddie D’Hondt was fired as general manager of Robert Yates Racing in a shakeup of the struggling team.

D’Hondt joined RYR in late 2003 and helped guide Elliott Sadler into the inaugural Chase for the championship the next season. Miscellany

Porter needs surgery

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter is expected to have arthroscopic knee surgery as early as today, less than a year after having loose cartilage removed from his left knee.

•Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Paul Grasmanis retired, ending a 10-year NFL career filled with injuries.

•The NFL is spending $10 million to help Los Angeles and Anaheim with their plans for bringing the league back to the nation’s second-largest media market, commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced in Denver.

•Ivan Basso won the 16th stage of the Giro d’Italia in Monte Bondone, Itayl, to increase his overall lead to 5 minutes over second-place cyclist Jose Cataluna of Spain.

•U.S. captain Claudio Reyna strained his right hamstring during a World Cup soccer warmup match against Morocco in Nashville, Tenn.

Morocco won 1-0.