Ex-Vol Chism spurns Kings to play in Turkey

KNOXVILLE - Former Tennessee forward Wayne Chism will decline the Sacramento Kings' invitation to fall training camp and sign with a pro team in Turkey. Jared Karnes, a Knoxville attorney who represents Chism, said the situation with the Kings has changed since Chism's successful summer league run with the team. "The Kings signed veteran NBA swingman Antoine Wright and Pooh Jeter (on Friday)," Karnes said. "Before those signings, Wayne was strongly considering taking advantage of the Kings' open roster spots." Chism's six-figure deal with Antalya of the Turkish Basketball League is guaranteed. The Kings had offered him some money to compete in their training camp, but not a significant amount and a roster spot was not guaranteed. Chism will leave for Turkey in mid-August. "He is expected to make an immediate impact," Karnes said. "The NBA is still a goal."

* MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia coach Bob Huggins is expected to make a full recovery after being hospitalized for broken ribs during a Las Vegas recruiting trip. Athletic director Oliver Luck said Huggins fell in his hotel room Friday night and broke four ribs. He was taken to the hospital and held overnight for observation. Luck said he spoke with associate head coach Larry Harrison, who was with Huggins on the trip. Huggins was expected to be released Saturday.

Auto Racing

* HOCKENHEIM, Germany - Sebastian Vettel of Germany edged Fernando Alonso on Saturday to take the pole position in his home Formula One Grand Prix. Vettel's Red Bull was .002 second faster than Alonso's Ferrari in qualifying to give the German his sixth pole of the season - and his third straight. Felipe Massa of Brazil in the second Ferrari was third and Mark Webber of Australia was fourth in another Red Bull to complete the two front rows for today's German Grand Prix.

* EDMONTON, Alberta - The IRL placed struggling driver Milka Duno on probation for the rest of the year for failing to consistently meet minimal performance standards. Series officials said Duno needs to show "immediate and substantial improvement to her driving" by the end of the season. Officials cited her inability to be competitive and her on-track decision making as reasons for the decision. The 38-year-old Venezuelan driver has been pulled by track officials from two races this year, including last week in Toronto, for driving so slowly she was deemed a hazard.

Football

* RALEIGH, N.C. - Kaye Cowher, the wife of ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher and a former basketball player at North Carolina State and in the now-defunct Women's Professional Basketball League, died of skin cancer. She was 54. Cowher died Friday in her native North Carolina, where the family relocated at her urging during Cowher's final year as coach in 2006, one season after the Steelers won the Super Bowl. The family had lived since in Raleigh. "Kaye was such a loving and compassionate person and she was the foundation of our family," Bill Cowher, now an NFL analyst with CBS, said in a statement released Saturday. "Kaye was always at my side throughout my career as a player, coach, NFL analyst and, most importantly, as a parent to our three daughters." The Cowhers met at North Carolina State, where Bill played linebacker before beginning an NFL career. They married in 1981, after the former Kaye Young played alongside twin sister Faye in college and during a three-season pro basketball career.

Softball

* OKLAHOMA CITY - Jessica Mendoza doubled twice and drove in four runs, former Tennessee star Monica Abbott threw a one-hitter and the U.S. beat rival Japan 8-0 Saturday night at the World Cup of Softball. The Americans (4-0) have yet to allow a run or an extra-base hit in four victories at the World Cup, yielding only nine singles in 26 innings. Natasha Watley had an RBI single and scored three times and Kaitlin Cochran homered for the third time in as many days to end the game after six innings because of the mercy rule. Jennie Finch, playing in her final international tournament, also drove in a run. Japan (2-2) has been the Americans' top rival in recent years, beating the U.S. in the gold-medal game in the 2008 Olympics.

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