Internationally
McClellan improves
LONDON - Gerald McClellan was taken off sedation and was said to be "slowly but steadily improving," 12 days after surgeons at Royal London Hospital removed a blood clot from his brain following a world title bout. McClellan, 27, of Freeport, Ill., collapsed at the end of his 10th-round loss to Nigel Benn in a WBC super-middleweight bout Feb. 25.
Nippon wins Cup race
SAN DIEGO - Nippon beat Rioja de Espana to join Team New Zealand, NZL-39 and oneAustralia in the America's Cup challenger semifinals. In the defender series, Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes beat America3's Mighty Mary to clinch second place and a bonus point going into the semifinals. Kevin Mahaney's Young America has clinched first place.
Kitt stripped of win
OBERHOFEN, Switzerland - The International Ski Federation overturned a jury's decision in Aspen, Colo., canceling the results of Sunday's storm-plagued downhill. The race will be run again Saturday in Norway. The decision stripped American AJ Kitt of the victory in the race, scrapped because of heavy snow and poor visibility after 31 of 68 racers competed.
Nationally
Did cocaine play role in Lewis' sudden death?
NEW YORK - Cocaine may have played a part in the death of Boston Celtics star Reggie Lewis, a possibility that was sidestepped because of reputations and financial interests, the Wall Street Journal reported today.
The newspaper said that while a definite connection cannot be shown, many doctors suspected then and now that the basketball star died from a heart damaged by cocaine.
Bucs sign Harper
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed former Dallas receiver Alvin Harper, snagging the biggest free agent catch so far this year with a four-year deal worth a reported $2.5 million a season. The deal includes a signing bonus of at least $3 million.
Agassi routs Wilander
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - Second-seeded Andre Agassi, bidding to become the world's No. 1 player, routed Mats Wilander 6-0, 6-2 in the second round of the Newsweek Champions Cup. Third-seeded Boris Becker beat Jared Palmer 6-4, 6-4 and Carlos Costa upset ninth-seeded Jim Courier 7-6 (8-6), 6-3.
Graf advances
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. - Top-seeded Steffi Graf beat Nicole Bradtke 6-4, 6-1 in the third round of the Delray Beach Winter Championships.