Nowitzki leads Germany at Euros

Dirk Nowitzki had 35 points and 11 rebounds in Germany's 83-78 overtime victory against the Czech Republic on the opening day of the European basketball championships Monday at Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

In Alicante, Tony Parker scored 16 and France held off Poland 74-66, while Slovenia beat Olympic runner-up Italy 69-68 in Group D.

Defending champion Greece opened with a 76-66 win over Israel in a Group A match in Granada, and Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko's 24 points and 12 rebounds led Russia over Serbia 73-65.

Pau Gasol scored 19 and Spain routed Portugal 82-56 in Seville. Latvia surprised Croatia 85-77 in the other Group B match. In Group C, three-time winner Lithuania rolled past Turkey 85-69.

Soccer

Owners say Man U 'is not for sale'

The Glazer family will not sell English Premier League team Manchester United, despite reports of potential billion-dollar takeover bids from China and United Arab Emirates.

''United is not for sale,'' the family's spokesman said. ''The position has not changed and nor will it.''

A Chinese consortium has reportedly expressed interest in the club, while a rival group with connections to the Emirates royal family is also considering a bid.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer bought United for $1.47 billion in 2005, and it won the Premier League title last season.

Horse racing

Hyped matchup fails to materialize

A much-hyped showdown between Heartswideopen and another 2-year-old filly, Wild Six (trained by Utah native Wes Giles), in the $1.9 million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, N.M., never happened, as heavily favored Heartswideopen edged SF Royal Bank by a nose, while Wild Six, beaten for the first time in six races, finished out of the money.

Cycling

Study: Tour riders have larger hearts

Researchers who examined the hearts of former Tour de France bikers found that the athletes' hearts were from 20 percent to 40 percent larger than average, said Dr. Francois Carre of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, France, speaking at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology.

The difference is attributable largely to rigorous training that expands the cyclists' hearts. Carre found that the athletes' hearts shrank nearly a quarter in size after they finished riding professionally.

* Italian cyclist Paolo Bettini won the third stage of the Spanish Vuelta, at Luarca, Spain, and Oscar Freire held on to the overall leader's gold jersey.

- Combined news services