Briefly 11/2/03

Baseball

Barring an unforseen snag, Bobby Valentine is likely to be named manager of a Japanese baseball team on Monday. Valentine arrived in Japan on Saturday to discuss whether he will manage the Lotte Marines of Japan's Pacific League.

The Red Sox received permission to talk to Angels pitching coach Bud Black and Dodgers third base coach Glenn Hoffman about succeeding Grady Little as manager.

Basketball

Kenyon Martin's ankle injury isn't as bad as originally feared, and the Nets' forward could return as early as the next week. Martin sprained his left ankle in an ugly fall in Friday night's home victory over Minnesota.

College

Mark Bartosic of Division III Susquehanna's became the first NCAA receiver to top 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons in a 55-31 loss to Albright. Bartosic caught nine passes for 132 yards, giving him 1,068 for the season.

Football

Former Bears coach Mike Ditka underwent hip surgery and was expected to make a quick recovery after a fall in his home, according to a business partner.

Golf

Retief Goosen looked unflappable as ever at the Chrysler Championship on his way to a 4-under-par 67 and a two-stroke lead. Briny Baird had a 66 and was two strokes behind, but the name that got Goosen's attention was Vijay Singh.

Teenager Shi Hyun Ahn shot a 1-under-par 71 to take a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the CJ Nine Bridges Classic. Defending champion Se Ri Pak, Grace Park, Catriona Matthew and Laura Davies shared second place.

Hockey

Bernie Federko, the Blues' career leading scorer, became the franchise's only former player to be honored with a life-size statue. Federko, who played for the Blues from 1976-89 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year, said the meticulously detailed bronze statue, depicting the former center handling the puck, was every bit as big of a tribute.

Mario Lemieux injured his hip and left the game after one period in the Penguins' 3-2 overtime victory against the Bruins. He was withheld from the final two periods as a precaution, the team said during the game.

Motorsports

Bobby Hamilton Jr. won the rain-shortened race and Scott Riggs took the lead in the tight five-man NASCAR Busch series points chase at Phoenix International Raceway. Hamilton was ahead of Kevin Harvick by nearly a straightaway on the 1-mile oval when light rain brought out a caution flag on lap 175.

Tennis

Second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo survived 5-1 deficits in the second set and second-set tiebreaker to beat No. 5 Ai Sugiyama and advance to the Advanta Championships final. On Sunday, will Mauresmo play the winner of the late match between Anastasia Myskina and Nadia Petrova.