Atlanta Dream turn back Seattle in WNBA
WNBA: As Sancho Lyttle saw things, what mattered most for the Atlanta Dream was finishing what they started.
Lyttle scored 21 points to lead the visiting Dream to a 70-59 victory over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday.
Lindsey Harding added 15 points for Atlanta (9-9), which is 3-2 on a six-game road trip that ends on Friday night in San Antonio prior to the WNBA’s monthlong break for the London Olympics.
The Dream never trailed and took the lead for good as Lyttle and Armintie Price hit consecutive jumpers to put Atlanta up 31-27 with 2:42 to go.
“Normally, we do get off to a good start. But keeping it was more important, and that’s what we did,” Lyttle said.
Rookie Shekinna Stricklen scored a season-high 16 points and Tanisha Wright had 12 for the Storm (8-10). Sue Bird, set to play for the United States at the London Olympics, was limited to just five points after scoring 31 last Sunday against Phoenix.
Seattle was missing leading rebounder and second-leading scorer Ann Wauters (6.2 boards, 10.3 points) for the fourth straight game with a strained left Achilles.
• San Antonio continues roll: Sophia Young and Danielle Robinson scored 16 points each to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 77-68 victory over the host Chicago Sky for their eighth straight win.
Blazers will match offers for Batum
NBA: Portland Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey says the team will match any offers for French swingman Nicolas Batum.
Olshey’s comments came amid speculation the team might be working on a sign-and-trade with Minnesota, which is interested in the restricted free agent.
Batum’s agent, Bouna Ndiaye, told The Associated Press last week that he and the Timberwolves agreed to terms on a four-year, $45 million offer with bonuses that could push it past $50 million. A formal offer has not yet been made.
The Blazers have maintained since the end of last season they’d like to build for the future around forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Batum, who has averaged 10.2 points and 3.9 rebounds over four seasons with the Blazers.
In other NBA news:
• Veteran free-agent forward Gerald Wallace has signed a four-year, $40 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets.
• Kyle Singler signed a multiyear contract with the Detroit Pistons after spending last season playing in Spain.
• The Cleveland Cavaliers signed forward Luke Harangody to a $1.1 million contract for next season. Harangody averaged 2.9 points last season for Cleveland.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder signed undrafted free agent Hollis Thompson of Georgetown to a contract.
• The New York Knicks acquired center Marcus Camby from Houston in a sign-and trade deal and re-signed guard JR Smith.
Britain ready to boost Olympics security
OLYMPICS: Britain put an extra 3,500 military personnel on standby to protect venues at the London Olympics, after a private contractor said it may not be able to provide enough security guards on time.
The contractor, G4S, had been enlisted to provide the bulk of the 13,200 private security guards across 100 venues, but said in a statement that it may not hit its target because of problems recruiting and training staff.
Soccer leaders confirm kickbacks
SOCCER: Former FIFA president Joao Havelange and one-time Brazilian soccer leader Ricardo Teixeira received millions of dollars in a World Cup kickbacks scandal, soccer’s world governing body confirmed.
FIFA finally published a Swiss court dossier which detailed that Teixeira received at $13 million from 1992-97 in payments from World Cup marketing partner ISL.
Payments “attributed” to accounts connected to the two Brazilians totaled almost $22 million from 1992-2000.
FIFA, Havelange and Teixeira repaid $6.1 million to end prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand’s probe on condition that their identities remain secret.
• Maradona makes pitch: Diego Maradona said he wants to hold talks with Al Wasl to try and save his soccer job, one day after being fired as coach by the Dubai club.
Winning trainer abandons appeal
Miscellany: Kentucky Derby and Preakness-winning trainer Doug O’Neill dropped his appeal of a 45-day suspension stemming from an excess of carbon dioxide in one of his horses in 2010. He will serve the penalty starting Aug. 19. O’Neill said the suspension was reduced to 40 days, and California Horse Racing Board spokesman Mike Marten confirmed it.
• Mets pitcher discharged: The New York Mets say right-hander Dillon Gee is being discharged from the hospital after having surgery to break up a blood clot in his throwing shoulder.
The Mets said in a release that Gee could have further surgery to prevent a possible recurrence of the clot in the same location of his arm.
• NCAA decision on hold: The NCAA says that it will decide on whether to take action at the “appropriate time” in connection with its inquiry into Penn State and the child sexual abuse scandal that led to the ouster of Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno.
Findings from Penn State’s internal investigation into the case of ex-defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky are due today.