Augustus, Thompson lead U.S. rout of Jamaica

A day after surviving a first-game scare, the United States women’s basketball team routed Jamaica, 115-47, on Thursday, clinching a semifinal spot at the FIBA Americas tournament at Valdivia, Chile.

Seimone Augustus had 19 points and Tina Thompson added 18 as the Americans scored the first nine points and were never threatened.

The United States (2-0) struggled in its first game against Cuba, winning, 85-79, after trailing most of the game.

There was no such trouble Thursday. Leading 14-7, Kara Lawson came off the bench to score five points and give the United States an 11-point advantage at the end of the first quarter. Jamaica would get no closer the rest of the game.

Lawson finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. The U.S. finished with 32 assists and forced Jamaica into 32 turnovers.

The U.S. team, which had all 12 players score, led 48-28 at the half, then outscored Jamaica, 67-19, in the second half.

Simone Edwards led Jamaica (0-2) with 18 points, and Nicole Louden added 14.

The United States will play Canada in the final preliminary game today and try to secure the top seeding in Group B.

TENNIS

ATP says integrity of sport is intact

The Assn. of Tennis Professionals, the governing body of men’s tennis, has dismissed suggestions that corruption is rife in the sport after Gilles Elseneer said he was offered $141,600 to throw a first-round Wimbledon match in 2005.

Elseneer, who has earned $473,798 in prize money after almost a decade on the men’s tour, had been offered the bribe to lose his match against another journeyman, Potito Starace, the London Times reported.

The ATP said that if a player such as Elseneer, then ranked 191st in the world, could instantly decline the offer, it proved that the integrity of the sport was intact.

“Fans need to understand that we have procedures in place and the most important thing is not that sports people are being approached but it’s what sports people do when they are approached,” an ATP spokesman told Reuters.

Venus Williams coasted into the Korea Open quarterfinals in Seoul with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Tamarine Tanasugarn.

Despite wearing strapping on her right leg, the top-seeded Williams made short work of Tanasugarn on an overcast afternoon before heavy rain forced a suspension of play at Olympic Park with two second-round matches remaining.

The Wimbledon champion will meet Marta Domachowska in the quarterfinals. She defeated Severine Bremond, 7-5, 6-2.

Defending champion Eleni Daniilidou also cruised into the final eight with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ahsha Rolle.

Lleyton Hewitt reached the quarterfinals of the Mumbai Open in India by winning two matches in the rain-plagued tournament.

The former top-ranked Australian beat Ti Chen, 6-3, 6-3, in the first round, then defeated Boris Pashanski, 7-6 (2), 6-2, in the second.

Hewitt will face Rainer Schuttler, who beat Victor Troicki, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (1).

SOCCER

Beckham’s father suffers heart attack

David Beckham arrived in Britain to visit his father, who has been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack.

The English soccer standout, who hasn’t played for the Galaxy since Aug. 29 because of a right knee injury, took the first flight from Los Angeles to London after hearing the news and arrived at about noon.

Beckham, wearing dark glasses and a brown jacket and jeans, was the first person to leave the plane.

Ted Beckham, 59, was taken to a hospital near his home in east London on Wednesday night, and then transferred to another hospital.

Simon Oliveira, Beckham’s publicist, said Ted Beckham had surgery and is in intensive care.

MISCELLANY

Academic scandal at Florida State could grow

Florida State’s president said the school doesn’t know all the details of an academic cheating scandal that has already resulted in two employees being fired.

T.K. Wetherell reported the findings in a letter to the NCAA this week that a six-month investigation by the school revealed that at least 23 Florida State athletes were implicated in cheating on tests.

“It bothers us obviously that faculty or athletic staff people would have done what they did,” Wetherell said.

Provost Larry Abele explained that a part-time tutor gave students answers while they were taking tests. He said a full-time athletic department employee filled in answers on quizzes and typed papers for students.

The California Horse Racing Board set the Southern California thoroughbred schedule for next season at a meeting in Arcadia. The Santa Anita winter meet will run from Dec. 26 to April 20, followed by the Hollywood Park spring-summer meet from April 23-July 13.

Other dates for 2008 are Del Mar, July 16-Sept. 3; Fairplex Park, Sept. 5-22; the Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Sept. 24-Oct. 25, and Hollywood Park Oct. 29-Dec. 21.

This year’s Hollywood Park 32-day fall meet is already scheduled to run from Nov. 7-Dec. 22.

-- Larry Stewart

Super-bantamweight Daniel Ponce De Leon will fight in the main event of the inaugural boxing card tonight at Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon.

Ponce De Leon (32-1, 29 knockouts), the World Boxing Organization’s 122-pound champion, will fight Reinaldo Lopez (27-5-2, 19 KOs) in a non-title bout scheduled for 10 rounds. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Tonight’s fight is the first in a six-bout agreement with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

-- Lance Pugmire

Annika Sorenstam has accepted a sponsor’s invitation to play in the Samsung World Championship, Oct. 11-14, at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert.