LITTLE ROCK — BASKETBALL
Howard to Lakers in works
The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a blockbuster four-team trade to acquire Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic, according to league sources.
Three agents with players in the deal said the teams are expected to complete the trade on a call with league officials today. As of late Thursday, Magic officials had yet to inform Howard a deal had been consummated.
The Lakers will send All-Star center Andrew Bynum to the Philadelphia76ers, who also will receive shooting guard Jason Richardson from the Orlando Magic. The Sixers will send guard Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets. The Magic will receive Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, rookie swingman Moe Harkless and three first-round draft picks.
Lakers forward Pau Gasol had been in previous scenarios of the trade, but his representatives have since been assured he’s no longer in the deal.
BASEBALL
Greene traded to Houston
The Houston Astros have acquired infielder Tyler Greene from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Astros received Greene on Thursday for a player to be named or cash considerations. The 28-yearold appeared in 77 games for the Cardinals this season, including 40 starts. A first-round draft pick in2005, Greene is hitting .218 with 4 home runs and 19 RBI.
FOOTBALL
OSU tackle faces charges
Oklahoma State defensive tackle Christian Littlehead has been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. The district attorney’s office in Cherokee County filed the charge against Littlehead on Thursday after a woman reported to police that Littlehead punched her in the face and knocked her down at a birthday party in March, causing her to scrape her knees and cut her hand. The charge was first reported by the Tulsa World. The 6-2, 312-pound Littlehead played in 12 games last season and started four times for the Cowboys, recording one sack. He was listed as a backup this season.
Alabama freshman wide receiver Chris Black will have shoulder surgery and miss 3-4 months. Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban said Black was injured in Sunday’s open practice at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The 5-11, 178-pounder was the nation’s No. 2 receiver prospect coming out of Jacksonville, Fla., according to ESPNU. Black enrolled in January and went through spring practice.
CYCLING
Matthews wins 3rd stage
Michael Matthews won the third stage of the Tour of Utah on Thursday, and Christian Vandevelde retained the overall lead. Matthews broke away from the pack twice, emerging first from the peloton in the final sprint over the last 6 miles. He finished the 85.7-mile stage from Ogden that featured 8,542 feet of vertical climbs in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 7 seconds. Swiss rider Michael Schar was second, and Brent Bookwalter finished third for the second time in three days. Vandevelde has a cumulative time of 9:12.23. Thomas Danielson was second, and David Zabriskiethird, both with the same time as Vandevelde.
HORSE RACING
My Jopia wins at Saratoga
My Jopia took the lead with less than a furlong to run and survived a late bid by Manero to win the $100,000 New York Stallion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by a nose Thursday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. My Jopia ran a mile over the inner turf course in 1:36.88 while carrying jockey Ramon Dominguez to his fourth win of the day. The Dominick Stettin trained filly earned $60,000. The win was her second in three starts this year. My Jopia paid $8.10, $4.80 and $3.70. Manero returned $5.10 and $4. Hlao Roo, third of nine, paid $6.90 to show.
Winter Memories, recent winner of the Diana Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and one of the nation’s leading fillies on turf, has been retired. John Phipps, manager of the family partnership that bred and owns the 4-year-old multiple stakes winner, said Thursday that Winter Memories was diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease following the Diana, her first start of the season.
TENNIS Murray withdraws
Andy Murray withdrew from the Rogers Cup because of a knee injury Thursday, the latest top player to pull out of the rain-delayed tournament in Toronto. The Olympic gold medalist hurt his left knee Wednesday night during the opening match against Flavio Cipolla. Murray was scheduled to face Canadian Milos Raonic in the third round Thursday night in the event where all singles play was wiped out by rain.
Roberta Vinci routed former champion Ana Ivanovic 6-0, 6-0 at the Rogers Cup in Montreal to advance to the third round. The 28th-ranked Vinci needed only 45 minutes to eliminate the 11th-seeded Ivanovic, the 2006 winner.
GOLF Lindberg flies high with 64 at Farr LPGA
SYLVANIA, Ohio - It was unofficially international day at the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic.
The leaderboard might not have had many household names after the first round Thursday, but the leader and her closest pursuers included players representing Sweden, France, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the United States.
Pernilla Lindberg holed birdie putts of 40 and 50 feet and added three 25-footers in a round of 7-under-par 64 to take a two-shot lead after the opening round at Highland Meadows Golf Club.
A top early contender to make the European side at the 2013 Solheim Cup, the Swede is virtually unknown in the United States, even though she played at Oklahoma State and is in her third year on the LPGA Tour.
“That is one of my goals,” she said of making it big on this side of the Atlantic. “If I can start showing my name on the leaderboard more often here, it’s going to give me more confidence and that, of course, is what everyone wants.”
The 26-year-old Lindberg has not finished in the top 10 of an LPGA event in her 36 starts as a pro. She has missed the cut in six of her 10 starts this season, although she tied for 12th at the Lotte Championship in April for her lowest career finish on tour.
Texan Angela Stanford was two strokes back along with Japan’s Mika Miyazato, South Korea’s Chella Choi, LSU grad Meredith Duncan, rookie Numa Gulyanamitta of Thailand and France’s Karine Icher.
The 2008 champ, Paula Creamer, had a 68, as did Toledo-born Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks), the LPGA money leader. Defending champ Na Yeon Choi shot a 71, while Yani Tseng, No. 1 in the world rankings, had a 72.
Sports, Pages 16 on 08/10/2012