Sports news briefs for September 9, 2003

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003 | 10:33 a.m.

Police will charge Clarett with fraud

Ohio State star running back Maurice Clarett will be charged with lying about items that were stolen from him out of a car, a city attorney spokesman said today in Columbus.

Prosecutors and Ohio State University police will file a misdemeanor falsification charge against him in Franklin County Municipal Court. The court will issue a summons for Clarett to appear within 30 days. The charge carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and $1,000 fine.

Clarett has already been suspended indefinitely from the team, and probably will not play for the Buckeyes this season. He is also being investigated by the NCAA.

Clarett acknowledged this summer that he filed an exaggerated theft report after his car was broken into in April. The car, a 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, was borrowed from a local dealer. Clarett stated he had lost more than $10,000 in items in the theft.

Sparks win West

Lisa Leslie scored four points in the last 10 seconds to carry the Los Angeles Sparks past the Sacramento Monarchs 66-63 to win the WNBA Western Conference final. The Sparks will play the Detroit Shock in the WNBA Finals.

Cup event a hot ticket

Tickets for the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway were selling at a record pace Monday, the first day tickets went on sale to the public. LVMS officials would not disclose how many tickets were sold Monday or how close they were to selling out the 135,000-seat speedway for the March 7, 2004 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.

Gilmour retires

Doug Gilmour, 40, retired after an NHL career in which he played 20 seasons and won a Stanley Cup championship with Calgary.

Roddick up to No. 2

U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick officially rose to a career-best No. 2 in the ATP Tour rankings, one place behind losing finalist Juan Carlos Ferrero. Andre Agassi, who lost to Ferrero in the Open semifinals, dropped from No. 1 to No. 4.