Sports Briefs: Heat wants Wade back

BASKETBALL

Heat, Wade discuss new deal

MIAMI -- When Dwyane Wade checked his cell phone shortly after midnight yesterday, he got perhaps the most predictable text message of his life.

After all, it hardly classifies as stunning news that the Miami Heat want to keep him.

The Heat had to wait until 12:01 a.m. on July 12 to formally offer an extension to the reigning NBA scoring champion, and Wade said coach Pat Riley didn't wait too long before pressing the send button.

Wade has repeatedly said he is happy in Miami, but merely wants to see the team get better and an assurance that Miami will perennially try to be a championship contender before re-signing.

In other basketball news:

• The United States broke an 18-year gold medal drought by beating Greece 88-80 to win the FIBA under-19 world basketball championships.

  TENNIS

  U.S. ousted from Davis Cup

POREC, Croatia -- The United States was ousted from the Davis Cup and left to wonder how it might have gone had Andy Roddick been around to pelt opponents with his laser serve.

James Blake was unable to keep the Americans alive in the quarterfinals, losing to Marin Cilic of Croatia in the opening match of reverse singles.

Cilic's victory on indoor clay put Croatia ahead 3-1 in the best-of-five format, sending the country to its first semifinal since winning the Davis Cup in 2005. The final score was 3-2.

In other tennis news:

• Rajeev Ram beat third-seeded Sam Querrey in the Hall of Fame Tennis championships for his first ATP title. The 25-year old Ram, a lucky loser after top-seeded Mardy Fish withdrew, won the first all-American final on Newport's grass courts in seven years.

• Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Andreas Beck in the decisive singles match to give defending champion Spain a 3-2 win over Germany in the Davis Cup quarterfinals. Spain will host Israel in September.

• Radek Stepanek beat Juan Monaco in the final reverse singles match to give the Czech Republic a 3-2 win over Argentina.

  GREYHOUND RACING

  Rhode Island breaks trend

LINCOLN, R.I. -- Greyhound tracks are folding across the country, but in cash-strapped Rhode Island -- where the unemployment rate is among the nation's worst -- lawmakers are betting on the dogs to save jobs.

Rhode Island legislators are fighting to expand greyhound racing, an increasingly outdated and unprofitable sport that has been squeezed out by newer forms of gambling. Over the objection of Gov. Don Carcieri, lawmakers have moved to force Twin River slot parlor to run 200 days of live racing at its track even though current law only requires 125. -- From Staff and Wire Reports