Ex-Ohio State coach O’Brien is awarded $2.4 million

Ohio State must pay former men’s basketball coach Jim O’Brien more than $2.4 million for his wrongful firing in 2004, an appeals court ordered Thursday.

The 10th District Court of Appeals also ruled that O’Brien should not receive an additional $1.3 million that he had said he was owed by the university.

University attorneys had argued that O’Brien committed a material breach of his contract and shouldn’t receive any money.

DeAnthony Ford, the man convicted of killing USC basketball player Ryan Francis, was sentenced to life in prison.

TENNIS

Roddick will open for U.S. in Davis Cup singles

Andy Roddick will face Joachim Johansson, who has been sidelined by a shoulder injury, in opening singles today at a Davis Cup semifinal match between Sweden and the United States at Goteborg.

The draw also pitted Thomas Johansson against James Blake in the second singles match on indoor carpet.

In Saturday’s doubles, Simon Aspelin will team with veteran Jonas Bjorkman against the top-ranked team of Bob and Mike Bryan.

Lindsay Davenport advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing by defeating Eleni Daniilidou, 7-5, 6-3. Davenport will play fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva, who cruised past Tamira Paszek, 6-2, 6-0.

Second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova defeated Anastasia Rodionova, 6-2, 6-1, to reach the quarterfinals of the Sunfeast Open at Calcutta. American Vania King, who stunned top-seeded Maria Bartoli in the first round, lost to Mariya Koryttseva, 6-1, 6-2.

Fourth-seeded Katarina Srebotnik routed Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-2, 6-0, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Slovenia Open at Porotoz.

SOCCER

U.S. to play match in South Africa on Nov. 17

The U.S. men’s national team will make its first trip to South Africa for the Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup on Nov. 17.

The match will precede by eight days the qualifying draw for the 2010 World Cup, which will be staged in South Africa.

Guatemala will replace China as Mexico’s opponent for a friendly at the Coliseum on Oct. 17. No reason was given for the switch in opponents.

Chelsea appointed Avram Grant and Steve Clarke to take charge of the English Premier League team after manager Jose Mourinho’s sudden departure.

MISCELLANY

Olympic torch relay won’t include Taiwan

The International Olympic Committee said that negotiations between Taiwan and China on the torch relay route for the 2008 Summer Olympics are at a dead end and the torch will not be coming to Taiwan.

In an e-mail to the Associated Press, the IOC said that it had been following discussions between China’s and Taiwan’s Olympic committees and that a “solution between the two has not been found . . . the route will now have to go ahead without a stop in Chinese Taipei.”

Against his wishes, the Milwaukee Bucks moved to keep Charlie Bell.

The Bucks matched an offer sheet Bell had signed with the Miami Heat for the restricted free-agent guard, a five-year deal worth $18.5 million. Last season, Bell averaged a career-high 13.5 points for the Bucks, who finished 28-54.

The Golden State Warriors waived Sarunas Jasikevicius, agreeing to a contract buyout with the disgruntled guard.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed a lease, committing the NHL team to its yet-to-be-built $290-million arena until 2040.

The lease terms were in accordance with a March memorandum between the team and government officials, Gov. Ed Rendell said.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Teppo Numminen had successful open-heart surgery to repair a faulty valve and hopes to be back on the ice within three months. Barring complications in his recovery, the 39-year-old player is eyeing a return to the lineup as soon as December, he said before the operation.

Freshly retired from the pro beach volleyball circuit, Karch Kiraly will play host to the inaugural U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball this weekend at the Huntington Beach Pier.

The tournament will run today though Sunday. The marquee divisions are the men’s and women’s open divisions for two-person teams, and the coed open for two- and four-person teams. There are several other divisions based on age and skill level.