U.S. women top Cuba, 85-79, in a strenuous FIBA opener

Candace Parker scored 21 points and Katie Smith added two late three-point baskets to help the U.S. hold off Cuba, 85-79, in its opening game at the FIBA Americas tournament Wednesday in Valdivia, Chile.

With the score tied at 71-71 midway through the fourth quarter, Smith made consecutive three-point shots.

Cuba answered with a basket to close within four, but could get no closer.

“I think it was a great win for us,” U.S. Coach Anne Donovan said. “Cuba is a great team and we’ve known that for a long time, they’re very solid.”

Yakelyn Plutin led Cuba with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

After finishing third at last year’s World Championships, the U.S. was forced to play in the FIBA Americas tournament. Only the tournament winner earns an automatic bid to the 2008 Olympics.

PRO BASKETBALL

Marion demands trade from Suns

Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion, the team’s highest-paid player and a four-time All-Star, says he wants to be traded after eight years with the club because the team considered trading him over the summer and won’t talk about a contract extension.

Marion, 29, has two years left on his contract, which will net him $16.4 million this season and $17.8 million in 2008-2009.

Suns General Manager Steve Kerr declined to comment.

As expected, forward Corliss Williamson retired from the Sacramento Kings after 12 seasons in the NBA -- and was introduced as an assistant coach at Arkansas Baptist College.

Williamson, 33, was drafted by Sacramento in 1995. He averaged 11.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in a career that included stops in Toronto, Detroit and Philadelphia.

He won the league’s sixth man award for Detroit in 2002 and was on the Pistons’ 2004 NBA championship team.

JURISPRUDENCE

Thomas denies cursing at fired executive

New York Knicks Coach Isiah Thomas testified that he never cursed at a fired team executive who has accused him of sexual harassment.

In his second day on the witness stand at a trial in federal court in New York, Thomas denied allegations in a $10-million lawsuit that he repeatedly addressed the plaintiff, Anucha Browne Sanders, with derogatory names while they worked together at Madison Square Garden.

Closing arguments are scheduled for today.

Former Dallas Mavericks forward Roy Tarpley is suing the team and the NBA, claiming they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by refusing to reinstate him to the league.

Tarpley, permanently banned from the NBA in 1995, says the NBA and the Mavericks discriminated against him on the basis of his disability as a recovering drug and alcohol abuser.

TENNIS

Roddick withdraws, Querrey is upset

Andy Roddick withdrew because of a foot injury and Sam Querrey of Thousand Oaks was upset by qualifier Nick Lindahl, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, at the Thailand Open in Bangkok.

Roddick injured his foot during practice Tuesday.

Second-seeded Ana Ivanovic defeated Anne Kremer, 7-5, 6-4, in the second round at the Fortis Championships in Luxembourg.

Seventh-seeded Vera Zvonareva rallied to defeat Shahar Peer, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, and eighth-seeded Tatiana Golovin beat Sorana Cirstea, 6-3, 6-1.

Catalina Castano upset sixth-seeded Martina Muller, 6-4, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Korea Open in Seoul.

Stefan Koubek defeated Paul Capdeville, 6-3, 6-2, to reach the second round of the Mumbai Open in India.

Maria Sharapova withdrew from next week’s Porsche Grand Prix in Germany because of a lingering shoulder injury.

MISCELLANY

Samoa downs U.S.

in Rugby World Cup

Samoa ended a five-match losing streak at the Rugby World Cup by beating the U.S., 25-21, in its final Group A match in Saint-Etienne, France.

Georgia won its first World Cup match in seven tries, beating, Namibia, 30-0.

Kazuhiro Nakamura, an Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight who lost his UFC debut fight Saturday at the Honda Center, tested positive for marijuana and was suspended through Dec. 21 and fined $500, the California State Athletic Commission announced. Nakamura, 28, lost by unanimous decision to unbeaten UFC fighter Lyoto Machida.

The commission’s tests for performance-enhancing drugs from the Anaheim card are still pending.

-- Lance Pugmire

Two athletic department academic assistance employees resigned and 23 Florida State athletes were implicated in cheating on tests given over the Internet, school officials said.

Officials could not identify the students and could not say which sports are involved because of federal confidentiality restrictions. The students could face punishment from the university and the NCAA.

Corey Beck, a starting guard on Arkansas’ 1994 national championship basketball team, was listed in fair condition at a hospital in Memphis, Tenn., recovering from wounds to the hand and face after being shot during an attempted robbery. No arrests were made.