Olympic star to compete in Dew Tour here
SALT LAKE CITY — Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White is coming to Utah to compete — sans snow.
White rose to the challenge in Vancouver when he landed his McTwist 1260, later renamed the Tomahawk, to the delight of millions of fans. And while some would rest on that accomplishment, White is ready for a new challenge.
While he's always considered himself as much a skateboarder as a snowboarder, he didn't compete in the Dew Tour last year. But he won the Skate Vert competition in Portland, Ore., last month. And he will join more than 150 of action sports biggest names and best athletes when the Dew Tour comes to EnergySolutions Arena Sept. 16-19.
Other fan favorites include three-time Dew Cup champion Ryan Sheckler (skate park), BMX legend Dave Mirra (BMX park), 15-year-old phenomenon Brett Banasiewicz (current points leader in BMX dirt) and freestyle motocross icons like Nate Adams, Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg and Mike Mason. Taking place in conjunction with the Toyota Challenge are the finals for the Gatorade Free Flow Tour, the official amateur series of the Dew Tour. Over 70 of the best amateur skateboarders and BMX riders will be in Salt Lake City vying for a chance to compete against the pros at the Dew Tour Championships in Las Vegas
Tickets to the Toyota Challenge are now on sale at Smith's Tix, Smithstix.com, the EnergySolutions Arena Box Office or by phone at 801-476-8499. Tickets cost $100 for Action Zone, $35 for Reserved and $15 for Grounds Passes (children Grounds Passes are $7.50).
Nuggets player involved in altercation?
DENVER — Police are investigating an alleged altercation between Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith and another person at the team's practice facility.
Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson says officers went to the facility Aug. 13 after a report of an altercation involving Smith and another player in a pickup game. The other player isn't in the NBA. Jackson said Thursday that a complaint against Smith was investigated and the district attorney declined to pursue it, but the investigation has been reopened because another witness came forward
Smith, acquired by the Nuggets in July 2006 in a trade with Chicago, spent time in Denver coach George Karl's doghouse this season as he struggled with his slumping performance and reduced playing time. He averaged 15.4 points per game.
His off-court woes have included serving 24 days in a New Jersey correctional facility last year after pleading guilty to reckless driving in a car crash that killed a friend. Smith was drafted out of high school by the New Orleans Hornets in 2004.
Mercury, Liberty post WNBA playoff wins
Candice Dupree scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Phoenix Mercury to a 106-93 win over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Thursday night in the first game of the best-of-three WNBA Western Conference semifinals at Phoenix. Game 2 is Saturday in San Antonio with a deciding game, if needed, on Monday in Phoenix Dupree, a fifth-year forward acquired in the offseason by the Mercury from Chicago, was playing in her first WNBA postseason game. Penny Taylor added 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Mercury while WNBA leading scorer Diana Taurasi was held to 14 points but added 10 assists.
Becky Hammon led the Silver Stars with 19 points while Sophia Young added 16 points and nine rebounds, although she was nearly shutout in the first half
LIBERTY 85, FEVER 73: At New York, Cappie Pondexter scored 23 of her 28 points in the first half, Essence Carson scored nine of her 17 in a big fourth-quarter run and the Liberty beat the Indianapolis Fever in the opening game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Nicole Powell added 13 points for the Liberty, who closed the regular season with 15 wins in 18 games after the All-Star break.
Tamika Catchings scored 18 points, Ebony Hoffman had 13 and Tammy Sutton-Brown added 10 for the Fever, who were in first place heading into the final week but lost their last three and finished one game behind Washington and New York.
Game 2 is Sunday at Indianapolis and Game 3, if necessary will be next Wednesday back in Madison Square Garden.
Packers pile up 59 points against Colts
Aaron Rodgers extended his sharp start to the preseason, throwing for 195 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of the Green Bay Packers' 59-24 rout of the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field on Thursday night.
RAMS 36, PATRIOTS 35: At Foxborough, Mass., rookie quarterback Sam Bradford went 15-for-22 for 189 yards in his first NFL start, and Keith Null directed a drive that set up Josh Brown's 37-yard field goal on the final play that gave St. Louis a 36-35 win over New England.
—Deseret News staff and wire reports