U.S. women rout Argentina, reach final

The United States is one win away from qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.

Rebekkah Brunson scored 20 points and the Americans routed Argentina, 104-53, on Saturday to advance to the gold medal game at the FIBA Americas tournament at Valdivia, Chile.

The U.S. will play Cuba, which upset Brazil, 69-67.

“It’s going to be tough no matter who we play,” guard Sue Bird said after the U.S. victory.

It was a rout from the start as the U.S. (4-0) took a 56-15 halftime lead over Argentina (2-2).

The Americans scored the first seven points and jumped out to an 18-2 lead.

Candace Parker scored 17 points for the U.S., which was forced to qualify for Beijing after finishing third at the World Championships last year.

After struggling in its opening game against Cuba, the United States has dominated opponents. The U.S. has outscored Jamaica, Canada, and Argentina by an average of nearly 56 points.

“We’re learning what one another likes to do and just playing off each other,” Parker said.

Against Argentina, the Americans shot 59% from the floor (42 of 71) and forced 30 turnovers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed free-agent guard Devin Brown and traded guard David Wesley to the New Orleans Hornets for forward Cedric Simmons.

TENNIS

Williams reaches Korea Open final

Top-seeded Venus Williams advanced to the final at the Korea Open in Seoul by defeating Flavia Pennetta, 6-2, 6-2.

Williams will play fourth-seeded Maria Kirilenko, who beat fifth-seeded Eleni Daniilidou, 7-5, 6-0. Williams is 2-0 against Kirilenko, who is ranked 29th in the world.

Top-seeded Richard Gasquet defeated fifth-seeded Fabrice Santoro, 6-0, 6-3, to advance to the final of the Mumbai Open in India. He will play eighth-seeded Olivier Rochus, who beat Rainer Schuettler, 6-4, 6-4.

Second-seeded Ana Ivanovic defeated Vera Zvonareva, 6-4, 6-2, and fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova beat fifth-seeded Marion Bartoli, 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the final of the Fortis Championships at Luxembourg.

Second-seeded Virginie Razzano defeated fourth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1, to advance to the final of the Guangzhou International Open in China.

She will play Tzipora Obziler, who advanced when Anastasia Rodionova retired due to the heat while trailing, 6-1, 3-1.

SOCCER

U.S. goalkeeper on wrong end of record

American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann was on the wrong end of a rout when Portsmouth defeated Reading, 7-4, in the highest-scoring match in the English Premier League’s 15-year history.

Reading’s Nicky Shorey completed the record tally with a deflected shot during injury time. There could have been a 12th goal, but Portsmouth goalkeeper David James stopped a penalty shot.

“I have never been involved in a game like that before,” Reading Manager Steve Coppell said. “It’s hard to remember anything like that either as a player or a manager.”

There have been several nine-goal matches in the Premier League, most notably Manchester United’s 9-0 win over Ipswich in 1995.

Arsenal beat West Ham, 1-0, to retain its lead in the standings over defending champion Manchester United, which beat Birmingham, 1-0. Robin Van Persie’s fourth goal of the season helped keep the Gunners unbeaten. Arsenal has 19 points, two more than defending champion United.

JURISPRUDENCE

Former Cowboy Stoerner arrested

Former Dallas Cowboys and Arkansas quarterback Clint Stoerner was charged with drunk driving and two other misdemeanors after being stopped early Friday in Fayetteville, Ark., for driving a car playing loud music, police said.

RUGBY

Fiji defeats Wales to reach quarterfinals

Fiji upset Wales, 38-34, in Bordeaux, France, to reach the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 20 years.

Graham Dewes had his match-winning try awarded by the video referee in the 76th minute and Fiji held on for its first-ever win in nine matches against the Welsh, who were eliminated from the tournament.

MISCELLANY

Fanning beats Emslie in surfing event

Australia’s Mick Fanning defeated South Africa’s Greg Emslie in the final of the Quicksilver Pro France to move one step closer to winning his first world surfing title.

During the 30-minute final in three- to five-foot surf, Fanning caught only four waves to Emslie’s 12, but scored an 18.43 out of a possible 20 in the two-best-scores format.

The victory, at Seignosse, France, widened Fanning’s lead over Kelly Slater and fellow Aussie Taj Burrow.

-- Pete Thomas

Alan Webb capped a strong 2007 season by overtaking defending champ Kevin Sullivan down the stretch to win the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile in New York.

Webb, who has the world’s best mile time this year, won in 3 minutes 52.7 seconds. He beat Sullivan by two-tenths of a second.