Sacramento’s Musselman arrested on DUI charge

Eric Musselman, in his first season as coach of the Sacramento Kings, was arrested on a drunk driving charge early Saturday, hours after his team’s exhibition victory over the Utah Jazz.

He was released without bail from Sacramento County Main Jail at dawn, the sheriff’s department said. He was cited for misdemeanor driving under the influence.

Musselman was pulled over at 2:15 a.m. about 1 1/2 miles from the State Capitol after his car was seen making a right-hand turn from the left-hand lane and cutting off another vehicle, said Sgt. Evan Williams, a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

Another man and two women were in Musselman’s Mercedes. They were released, Williams said.

The 41-year-old coach failed three sobriety tests and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.11, according to the arrest report. The legal limit is 0.08.

Musselman has coached four exhibition games since being hired in June.

His arrest comes at a particularly inopportune time for the franchise. On Nov. 7, voters will be asked to approve two ballot measures increasing local sales tax as part of the club’s quest to build an arena in downtown Sacramento.

Musselman did not immediately return a call to his cellphone Saturday afternoon.

Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ president of basketball operations, said Musselman called him about 6 a.m. and told him of the arrest.

“He was very apologetic and ashamed for the lack of discretion leading to this situation,� Petrie said in a statement. “On behalf of the Kings organization, we are very disappointed in the poor personal behavior which precipitated this incident. We also believe Eric will face this adversity honestly and appropriately.�

The Kings hired Musselman to replace Rick Adelman, who was fired after eight consecutive winning seasons.

TENNIS

Federer wins his

18th match in a row

Roger Federer moved a step closer to his 10th title of the year, routing David Nalbandian, 6-4, 6-0, in the semifinals of the Madrid Masters in Spain.

Federer won in 58 minutes for his 18th consecutive victory.

The top-ranked player will meet 10th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez today for the title. Gonzalez beat Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-1.

Maria Sharapova kept alive her chance to finish the year ranked No. 1, beating Katarina Srebotnik, 7-6 (3), 6-2, despite an aching foot to reach the Zurich Open final in Switzerland.

The second-seeded Russian will play for the title today against Daniela Hantuchova, who upset third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-4, 6-2.

Sharapova is ranked No. 2 behind Amelie Mauresmo, who withdrew from the tournament Thursday because of a shoulder injury.

Former top-10 player Mark Philippoussis has reached the final of a $50,000 USTA challenger event in Calabasas, not losing a set in four matches.

The fourth-seeded Philippoussis will face No. 5 Amer Delic today, following the doubles final between Robert Kendrick/Cecil Mamiit and Harel Levy/Sam Warburg, which is at noon.

On Saturday, Philippoussis beat Nathan Healey, 6-2, 7-5, in the semifinals, and Delic defeated No. 3 Kendrick, 6-4, 6-2.

*

-- Lisa Dillman

MISCELLANY

China finishes with

eight gold medals

China won two more gold medals at the World Gymnastics Championships at Aarhus, Denmark, and finished the competition with eight, more than half the 14 golds awarded over nine days in Denmark.

Men’s all-around champion Yang Wei won his second individual gold medal -- this time on parallel bars -- and Cheng Fei also got her second gold, adding the women’s floor exercise to her victory on vault.

American Jana Bieger came through with her second silver medal, adding one on floor to her second place in the all-around.

Normann Stadler won his second Ironman Triathlon title in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, setting a record in the bike stage and holding on in the marathon run.

The 33-year-old Stadler, also the 2004 winner, finished the 140.6-mile endurance test in 8 hours 11 minutes 56 seconds. He completed the 112-mile bike leg in 4:18:23, more than 3 minutes better than last year’s record pace.

Chris McCormack finished second among the men in 8:13:02.

Michellie Jones, who was second last year, won the women’s race in 9:18:31. Stadler and Jones each received $110,000 for their wins.

Olympic champion Chad Hedrick won the 5,000 meters and Maria Lamb won the 3,000 in the fall World Cup qualifier for the U.S. speedskating team at West Allis, Wis.

Hedrick won in 6 minutes, 43.08 seconds at the Pettit National Ice Center, far slower than his gold-medal time of 6:14.68 at the Turin Games.

Lamb’s winning time was 4:22.49.

Quarterback Byron Leftwich remained questionable for Jacksonville’s game at Houston today because of a sore left ankle.

Leftwich sat out practice Friday, wore a protective boot and then had an MRI exam.

Results showed “nothing serious,� team spokesman Dan Edwards said.

World of Outlaws sprint car series founder Ted Johnson has died after a long battle with cancer in Norman, Okla. He was 72.

Johnson gave up a career as a china salesman in 1978 to start the traveling series that raced nearly 100 times a season.

Maxi Baier, who at age 15 won the 1936 Olympic pairs figure skating title, has died in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. She was 86.