Japanese spikers reign supreme, Malaysia last

PETALING JAYA: Japan reigned supreme in the Eighth Asian Youth (Under-18) girls’ volleyball championship after beating China 3-0 in the final at the KL Badminton Stadium in Cheras yesterday.

Japan, undefeated throughout the championship, won 25-21, 25-20, 25-14.

Thailand finished third after seeing off South Korea 3-1 (25-13, 26-24, 21-25, 25-17) in the third-fourth placing playoff match.

Thailand will join China and Japan for the World Youth Under-18 Championship in Turkey next year.

Five NBA Teams Crazy Enough To Take a Shot

Those four words may be very key to a handful of NBA general managers and coaches who are searching for a missing piece down low.

What teams, exactly, will even be considering such a notion?

Would any team be crazy enough to take a shot at signing the big guy next season?

Let’s break it down to five squads that truly need help in the paint and under the glass—and how Shaq’s presence can make a positive impact on the team.

Where Shaquille O’Neal will actually land in 2010-11 is anyone’s guess; and for all we know, he could be on the verge of retirement.

Regardless, let’s take a look at who might hook the 7’1” center—carrying with him 17 years of NBA experience.

Anelka finally gets his chance to play in a World Cup

TIGNES (France): France striker Nicolas Anelka has no intention of letting his chance to finally shine at the World Cup slip after not getting selected for the last three Finals.

Anelka has long been an enigmatic player for France, scoring twice in a stunning performance against England way back in 1999, but then refused to play under former coach Jacques Santini and spent three years out of the national team until Raymond Domenech called him back up nearly five years ago.

Nicolas Anelka Now firmly part of Domenech’s plans, Anelka is in contention for a starting place in South Africa where he thinks France can repeat their victory from 1998.

“It’s a very big competition for any player, I have never taken part in it before and I am very happy to get the chance,” the Chelsea striker said on Tuesday. “There’s no point playing just for the sake of it. We will only be happy if we’ve played well and if we’ve won it. Why not?”

France scraped through to the World Cup after knocking out Ireland in a tense playoff, but Anelka is confident the French can improve significantly.

“We think we can win it and we have the players to do so,” the 31-year-old Anelka said. “We have been working well physically and tactically and we can’t wait to see what it brings out on the field.”

Having won two English League and Cup doubles, with Chelsea this season and with Arsenal 12 years ago, the Premier League’s Golden Boot in the 2008-09 season, the European Championship with France and the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2000, Anelka’s last-remaining ambition is to be a World Cup star.

He was overlooked by Aime Jacquet in 1998 because the coach thought he was too young.

Anelka won Euro 2000 under coach Roger Lemerre, who subsequently did not pick him for the 2002 World Cup because he took Djibril Cisse, Thierry Henry, and David Trezeguet – the top scorers from the French, English and Italian Leagues.

Domenech’s decision to snub Anelka in 2006 was more surprising because he had recalled him from his international exile in November 2005. But even when Cisse broke his leg on the eve of the World Cup, Domenech called up Sidney Govou.

Ironically, it was precisely because Anelka did not want to be a replacement for the injured Govou for a friendly against Yugoslavia in Novem­ber 2002 that he had turned his back on Santini’s team.

Anelka then told Paris Match magazine that he would only return if Santini got on his knees and begged.

But Anelka’s unselfish attitude for Chelsea this season has won him many admirers, and his reputation has greatly improved since the days English fans mockingly nicknamed him Le Sulk for his surly attitude.

His abrupt nature has made him few friends in a topsy-turvy career, but Anelka always speaks his mind. He even criticised Domenech’s lack of tactical awareness when France lost 2-0 to European champions Spain in March.

Twenty Ten bridge official opened

A vast new bridge which will transport players and spectators to the practice ground during this year’s Ryder Cup has been officially opened by the First Minister of Wales.

Carwyn Jones AM cut the ribbon on the 120-metre long, cable stayed bridge over the River Usk in the company of Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, and Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director.

The £2m twin-suspension bridge completes a £16m investment by The Celtic Manor Resort in building a new course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure, developments that were promised when one of sport’s biggest events was awarded to Wales back in 2001.

Primarily a footbridge for spectators, the bridge will also be able to carry golf buggies transporting players and officials as well as emergency vehicles, should the need arise, when The Ryder Cup is staged at Celtic Manor between 27th September and 3rd October, 2010.

Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “We are proud to open this wonderful new bridge as the final major piece of construction for this year’s Ryder Cup.

“We have invested a lot of time and resources in creating not only The Twenty Ten Course, the first golf course in history to be purpose built for staging The Ryder Cup, but also the surrounding infrastructure.

“This bridge to the new practice ground is an important part of that commitment to provide the best possible playing conditions for the top golfers from Europe and America who will be gracing the event, as well as enhance the spectator experience at The 38th Ryder Cup.”

As with the construction of The Twenty Ten Course and its clubhouse, the new bridge was built by Welsh contractors, bringing further benefits to the economy of Wales. Port Talbot-based Andrew Scott Ltd was the main construction contractor and Rowecord Engineering of Newport provided the superstructure and all steelwork.

Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales, said: “The Ryder Cup is a huge event for Wales and I congratulate Sir Terry Matthews and the team at The Celtic Manor Resort on completing the final piece of the infrastructure required on-site to host such a high-profile event, which will be a superb showcase for Wales.”

The bridge was designed with close attention to the environmental and ecological sensitivities of the tidal River Usk. A six-metre exclusion zone on either side of the river bank protects otter holts and ensures the migrating patterns of salmon and shad fish are not affected.

As well as the Ryder Cup practice ground, the bridge also links to a huge TV compound housing the world’s sports broadcasters on the Caerleon side of the river. On the golf course side, a vast tented village of spectator attractions will occupy the existing Twenty Ten practice ground between the river and the first tee.

Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The installation of the bridge is a vital component of The 2010 Ryder Cup, facilitating ease of access to both sides of the River Usk. The bridge will also be able to carry emergency vehicles and with this opening another part of the infrastructure required to host The 2010 Ryder Cup is officially in place.

“The Celtic Manor Resort as host venue has continually demonstrated superb commitment and we congratulate them for making this happen in such good time and thank Sir Terry Matthews whose vision has led to the biennial contest being hosted in Wales for the first time.”

Sevilla crowned cup kings

Sevilla prevented Atletico Madrid from celebrating a cup double on Wednesday as they beat the recently-crowned UEFA Europa League champions 2-0 to take the King's Cup here for the fifth time in their history and second in four years.

Sevilla - who took the fourth and final UEFA Champions League place in the last minutes of the final match of the league season - lifted the Cup thanks to a fifth minute goal by diminutive winger Diego Capel and a second in time added on by Jesus Navas.

Sevilla captain Andres Palop, who made several good saves during the match, said it was mission achieved for the season. "It was a difficult and extraordinary final," he said. "This is what we wanted, qualify for the Champions League and win the King's Cup. We are very happy."

Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores was proud of his side's efforts. "My players put in an impressive effort," he said. "They gave everything they had, but congratulations nevertheless to Sevilla."

Capel's opener was a delight as he picked up Navas's blocked effort and fired an unstoppable shot into the Atletico net from just outside the penalty area. Atletico went agonisingly close to levelling the match in the 11th minute as first Argentinian international striker Sergio Aguero had his shot repelled and his strike partner Diego Forlan also saw his follow up effort saved.

Forlan - scorer of both his side's goals in the 2-1 victory over Fulham in the Europa League final - was to be a constant threat to Sevilla's defence, which was well marshalled by the French duo of Julien Escude and Sebastien Squillaci. The Uruguayan striker forced Palop into tipping the ball onto the post in the 43rd minute and then the Sevilla captain had to react smartly to turn away another Forlan strike 13 minutes from time for a corner.

Sevilla - who knocked out holders Barcelona earlier in the competition - were living dangerously and failed to take the few chances that came their way, most notably when Alvaro Negredo failed to score when just one on one with the Atletico 'keeper David de Gea. However, they settled the matter through Navas, who showed cooler temperament in the same situation as Negredo and despite being driven wider than he would have liked by De Gea he still managed to score.

Gilbert says Brown still Cavaliers' coach

Team owner Dan Gilbert refuted an SI.com report Friday that Brown had been fired.

"That's not true," he said during a news conference. "We are right now just going through the evaluation process."

He said the team expects to have answers in the next week to 10 days.

"I don't think it's a secret coaching is one of the things we'll look at," Gilbert said.

Brown was the league's coach of the year last season when the Cavs won 66 games. Cleveland lost to Orlando in the conference finals, however, and it was assumed Brown would have to get the team closer to a championship to keep his job.

Instead, the Cavs regressed. They were badly outplayed by the Celtics, who won the last two games played in Cleveland by a combined 50 points. But Gilbert insisted the team didn't quit against Boston.

"It's one of those things that you can't believe it after it's happened," Gilbert said. "I feel bad for the fans more than anybody."

The loss opened up the possibility of a major shakeup as two-time MVP LeBron James prepares for free agency.

The LeBron watch began at 10:53 p.m. ET on Thursday, when Rondo dribbled out the last 14 seconds and the Celtics began celebrating their 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven series.

James is eligible to opt out of his contract this summer, a move that would make the two-time MVP -- and zero-time NBA champion -- a free agent and set off a scramble for his services from New York to Miami to Los Angeles and, of course, back in Cleveland.

"Of course, we fully believe that, sweepstakes, in the running, whatever, I think this is the best franchise for him to play at," Gilbert said.