Pro basketball
FORMER CRUSADERS STARTING AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Former Valparaiso basketball standout Joaquim Gomes posted a double-double Wednesday at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey as his native Angola defeated Germany for the first time ever.
Gomes and former Crusader Mohamed Kone, a native of the Ivory Coast, have both started every game at the World Championships.
Gomes had 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in Angola's 92-88 overtime victory over Germany. Through four of five preliminary round games, Gomes is averaging 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as he has helped Angola to a 2-2 record. Angola will face Australia today and with a win would advance to the knockout stage for the first time in its history.
Kone is averaging 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game through four contests. The Ivory Coast concludes play today against Puerto Rico.
LIBERTY ELIMINATES FEVER: Cappie Pondexter scored 30 points, including a tiebreaking jumper with 28 seconds remaining, to lead the New York Liberty to a 77-74 victory over the Fever on Wednesday night to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
Kia Vaughn took advantage of some extended playing time and scored a season-high 13 points, and Essence Carson added 11 as the Liberty reached the conference finals for the second time in three years.
Katie Douglas scored 24 points; Tamika Catchings had 21, and Ebony Hoffman added 13 for the Fever, who fell to 0-7 in postseason series in which they didn't have home-court advantage.
The Liberty will face Atlanta in the East finals beginning Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.
Pro baseball
PADRES DESIGNATE CARRILLO FOR ASSIGNMENT: The San Diego Padres have designated pitcher Cesar Carrillo, a Hammond native and Mt. Carmel graduate, for assignment, recalling pitcher Cory Luebke from AAA Portland.
Carrillo, a former first-round draft pick, was 1-2 in three starts with the Padres last season and was 5-14 with a 5.60 earned run average this year for Portland.
Mixed martial arts
UFC RETURNS TO MICHIGAN: After much speculation on its location, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will bring UFC 123 to Michigan on Nov. 20, the organization's first trip to the state since April 1996.
The event, which will take place at the Palace of Auburn Hills, is expected to be headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former champions Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida, though the pairing is not official.
After going 18 months -- since UFC 96 in Columbus, Ohio -- without a show in the Midwest, the UFC will now have two in America's heartland in a two-month span. UFC 119 will be in Indianapolis on Sept. 25, the promotion's first visit to Indiana.
-- Matt Erickson, Times Correspondent
Local auto racing
BETTENHAUSEN CLASSIC SEPT. 11: Illiana Motor Speedway will host the 49th edition of the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 on Sept. 11.
Gates will open 4 p.m. on race day, with time trials set for 5:30 p.m. and the first race starting at 7:05 p.m. Cost is $15 for adults, $5 for children 8-12.
The race honors Tony Bettenhausen, a Tinley Park native who made 14 starts in the Indianapolis 500 with five top-10 finishes. Bettenhausen's life ended during a crash while testing a car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 1961.
Steve Carlson, the 2009 ASA Midwest tour Champion, and Jeff Cannon are the first entries for this year's event. Both seek their first Bettenhausen win.
For details, call (219) 322-5311, or go to www.illianaspeedway.com.
Prep sports
KOUTS ACCEPTING HALL OF FAME NOMINATIONS: Kouts is starting a sports hall of fame and is asking for nominations. Nomination forms can be picked up from Kouts athletic director Jack Birmingham at the high school. They must be returned by Nov. 1. To be eligible, nominees must have graduated prior to 2002. The first class will be inducted in February.
MEET THE VIKES SOCCER EVENTS NEXT WEEK: Meet the Vikes nights will both take place at Viking Arena next week. The Valparaiso boys will meet Merrillville on Wednesday, while the VHS girls will host Munster on Sept. 9. Junior varsity matches will begin at 5 both nights. Admission is free to all children wearing their team jersey. Prizes will be given away during the contests. A special autograph session will take place immediately after the games. For details, call Cate Violanti at (219) 477-5660 or (219) 628-2881.
Around the horn
The Lakeshore-FM (89.1) will be broadcasting all Indiana University football games this year, starting with tonight's opener between the Hoosiers and Towson. The Lakeshore also plans to carry Purdue football this fall, including Saturday's game at Notre Dame. WJOB-AM (1230) out of Hammond will contiue carrying Purdue games as well for local listeners. ... Purdue Calumet's women's basketball team signed its first recruit for the fall of 2011, Carroll High School star Quinci Eller, who averaged 15.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game as a junior, leading the Cougars to an 18-5 record and their third straight Class 2A sectional crown. ... Playmaker 12-and-under baseball tryouts will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Dave Griffin's baseball school in Griffith. Tryouts for the 14-and-under softball team will begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 9. For details, call (219) 992-1107. ... ... Prairie State College in Chicago Heights has received letters of intent from softball player Devon Lindsay (Thornwood), men's cross country runner Travis Lewis (Thornwood) and golfers Kevin Holtz (Homewood-Flossmoor), Julius Johnson (Homewood-Flossmoor) and Paul Rayon (Bloom).
