In brief: Sonics fill out new coaching staff

The Seattle SuperSonics added Scott Brooks, Mark Bryant and Ralph Lewis to their coaching staff Thursday and hired Brian Keefe as a player development assistant.

“I’m really happy with the diverse coaching and playing experience of our staff,” new coach P.J. Carlesimo said.

Brooks joins the Sonics after serving as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings last season. The 42-year-old interviewed for Seattle’s head job before Carlesimo got it.

“Former coach Ricky Stokes is leaving East Carolina instead of taking an administrative position in the athletic department.

The move came nearly three weeks after Stokes was removed as coach and reassigned to the created position of associate athletic director for basketball. School spokesman Tom McClellan said the new job will be eliminated.

According to the contract Stokes signed in April 2005, he would be paid a lump sum of $250,000 if terminated without cause.

Soccer

Beckham gets feisty

David Beckham, just off a flight from London earlier in the day, got feisty after being tackled from behind by Jesse Marsch of Chivas USA in the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 3-0 loss in Carson, Calif.

Marsch came running up behind Beckham and applied a high kick to the Galaxy captain’s upper right hip during injury time at the end of the first half of the Major League Soccer game.

Beckham fell forward, got up and ran over to Marsch, shouting in his face. A grim-faced Marsch stood his ground while Beckham was pulled away by teammate Edson Buddle.

“United States goalkeeper Kasey Keller has joined Premier League team Fulham and could make his first start Saturday.

The 37-year-old goalkeeper left Borussia Moenchengladbach last season after 2 1/2 years when the club was relegated to Germany’s second division.

“The United States gave up two first-half penalty kicks to Tunisia in a 3-1 loss in the Under-17 World Cup in Changwon, South Korea.

The United States lost its second straight group-stage match, but can keep alive its chances to move on to the knockout stages by beating Belgium on Sunday.

Nour Hadhria converted for Tunisia after a handball was called in the eighth minute, and again in first-half injury time.

Miscellany

Henman will retire

Tim Henman will play one last time at Wimbledon, but it won’t be next summer.

The British tennis star will play his final Grand Slam at the U.S. Open and then retire in September after the Davis Cup playoff at the All England Club.

The 32-year-old Henman, who reached four Wimbledon semifinals and never won a Grand Slam title in his 14-year career, cited a sore back and bad knee for his decision to call it quits.

Henman is unseeded going into the U.S. Open, which begins Monday. He is scheduled to play for Britain against Croatia for a spot in the Davis Cup World Group.

“Dale Earnhardt Inc. was working on a deal to put Mark Martin and Aric Almirola in its flagship No. 8 next season in a split schedule.

DEI has looked for a driver since Dale Earnhardt Jr. said in May that he would leave his late father’s team at the end of the season. DEI later acquired the contracts for Martin and Almirola when it merged with Ginn Racing, and the company wants the two of them to split the ride in 2008.

“If there’s anyone who can represent Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the No. 8, it’s Mark Martin,” said Max Siegel, president of DEI’s global operations.

“The world athletics federation has asked the World Anti-Doping Agency to impose tougher sanctions, including four-year bans for serious first-time infractions.

IAAF president Lamine Diack said he would not hesitate to seek harsher penalties for his federation alone. WADA will review its doping code at a Nov. 15-17 conference in Madrid, Spain, but is unlikely to change its current benchmark of two years for first-time offenders.