Lochte holds off Phelps in 200 freestyle

Swimming: Reality smacked Michael Phelps in the face again, only this time he accepted it. The 14-time Olympic champion didn’t like losing the 200-meter freestyle at the world championships again, even if it was to good pal Ryan Lochte.

But Phelps knows he has more in him and unlike two years ago, he’s willing to put in the work to get there.

Phelps led through the first 100 meters of the most eagerly awaited race so far in Shanghai before Lochte took over on the final turn and held on to win in 1 minute, 44.44 seconds Tuesday.

Phelps settled for silver at 1:44.79, and Paul Biedermann of Germany – who dealt Phelps a defeat at worlds in 2009 – took the bronze at 1:44.88.

“Being able to be a second faster than I was last year and about a second and a half off my personal best time, that’s all I can really ask for right now,” Phelps said. “That’s all I had in the tank.”

The Americans’ 1-2 finish in the 200 free kicked off a big night for the United States. Rebecca Soni led all the way in winning the 100 breaststroke by 1.20 seconds; Kate Ziegler earned silver in the 1,500 freestyle; and Natalie Coughlin took bronze in the 100 backstroke, giving the Americans nine medals through the first three days of swimming.

Paul, Anthony weigh offers from China

NBA: Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony have said they will consider offers to play professional basketball in China if there is no resolution to the NBA lockout.

Both players are on a promotional tour of China while monitoring news from home about the NBA’s labor impasse.

With Kobe Bryant reportedly negotiating a deal to play in Turkey, New Orleans Hornets star Paul and New York Knicks Anthony say they’re also considering overseas moves.

Barcelona reveals huge financial losses

Soccer: Barcelona announced that it lost $13.5 million during a 2010-2011 season that saw it lift both the European and Spanish championships.

Even so, the Catalan giants said that the losses were less than the forecast $31 million.

The club said it had reduced its total debt from $624 million to $527 million over the course of last season.

Columbus pitcher hurls perfect game

Minor league baseball: Justin Germano threw a perfect game for the Columbus Clippers in a 3-0 International League win over the Syracuse Chiefs at Syracuse, N.Y.

NCAA proposal aims to close loophole

College football: An NCAA panel has proposed broadening the definition of agents in a move aimed at closing the loophole that allowed Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton to keep playing despite his father’s pay-for-play scheme – and puzzled many people.

The Division I Amateurism Cabinet is sponsoring legislation that would include family members and other third parties who shop an athlete’s services to schools for financial gain, the NCAA announced.

The NCAA determined that Cecil Newton – Cam’s father – sought money from Mississippi State when Cam Newton was being recruited out of junior college. The quarterback signed with Auburn and was deemed eligible after a one-day suspension when the NCAA’s reinstatement staff found he didn’t know about the pay-for-play scheme. He was cleared to play in the SEC and national championship games.

Auburn went on to win both titles and Newton wound up as the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick by the Carolina Panthers.

• Alabama claims store owner broke no rules: Alabama has disassociated itself from a local store owner for three years but says he didn’t break any NCAA rules.

Alabama officials had ordered T-Town Menswear owner Stan Albetar in December to stop selling, distributing or promoting items signed by or depicting current athletes. Compliance director Mike Ward said in a statement that Albetar appeared to be in compliance with the rules and that an internal investigation didn’t turn up any indication that an athlete received extra benefits.

Liukin mulls over return to Olympics

Gymnastics: Olympic champion Nastia Liukin says she’ll decide by the end of this fall whether she’ll defend her all-around gymnastics gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

At an event in Manhattan celebrating a year until the Olympics, the 21-year-old called the choice “a little overwhelming.”

Liukin hasn’t been training full time because of her busy travel schedule.