In brief: Taurasi cleared of doping

Basketball: Diana Taurasi had her provisional suspension lifted on Wednesday by the Turkish Basketball Federation, which said the lab that returned a positive doping test retracted its report after it “evaluated” Taurasi’s statements in her defense. The federation did not say whether the lab made a mistake.

Taurasi had insisted that she never used performance-enhancing drugs, even though she had her contract terminated by Turkish club Fenerbahce last month. The lab that tested her sample had said the results came back positive for the stimulant modafinil.

With the lifting of the suspension, Taurasi is also free to continue playing in the Turkish basketball league, although she doesn’t plan on going back.

“That’s pretty unlikely,” she said. “I’m here in Phoenix working out and am more focused on getting myself in the best shape of my life and going from there.”

The former UConn star intends to return to the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury when the season begins in June.

Associated Press

Liking what they see in angler

Fishing: Post Falls angler Brandon Palaniuk is catching some attention – and perhaps some extra cash – as he warms up for this weekend’s Bassmaster Classic – the Super Bowl of competitive bass fishing.

An e-mail received from a Bassmaster insider said Palaniuk, 23, is creating some buzz around the competition site at  the Louisiana Delta near New Orleans. The insider said he’d heard the Berkley fishing tackle company “just signed on to sponsor him, which suggests someone sees real potential in this guy!”

The 50 anglers who qualified for the Classic are pre-fishing now with the competition running Friday through Sunday.

Rich Landers