BRIEFLY EX-SPARK BYEARS CLAIMS BIAS IN SUIT.

Byline: - Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Former Sparks player Latasha Byears on Wednesday sued the WNBA team for unfairly waiving her in response to allegations she had sexually assaulted a woman.

She was cut from the team five days after a June 2003 party at which she and three men were said to have assaulted the woman, a former teammate. Prosecutors said at the time that there had been an investigation, but no one was arrested and no charges were ever filed.

Byears, 31, said her quick dismissal demonstrates bias against lesbians by Jerry Buss, owner of the Sparks and Lakers. She contrasts Buss' backing of Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who was accused of raping a woman, with the team's response to allegations against her.

``They helped pay for chartered flights for Bryant's court appearances ... and issued several public statements of support,'' the suit said, while Byears was ``immediately terminated.''

HOCKEY: In another sign the NHL season is slipping away, the league canceled its All-Star Game because of the lockout. The next announcement could be the cancellation of the entire season.

--Former Nashville Predators center Sergei Zholtok died in his native Latvia of an apparent heart ailment. He was 31. Hewas playing for Riga 2000 this year during the NHL lockout.

BASKETBALL: UCLA's Ike Williams is at the center of a police investigation involving an alleged assault of a men's volleyball player at a party in Westwood over the weekend, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Williams, a walk-on who played one minute last season, was not arrested but was detained for questioning Sunday night.

- Brian Dohn

--Missouri's basketball team was placed on three years' probation for NCAA recruiting violations but avoided a ban on postseason play. The program lost one scholarship next year and two in 2006-07 and limited all basketball coaches to recruiting on campus until November 2005.

HORSE RACING: Belleski rallied to win the $51,600 feature by 2 1/2 lengths on opening day of Hollywood Park's 36-day fall meeting.

--Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone was retired from racing after chipping a bone in his left front ankle during the Breeders' Cup Classic.

GOLF: Mianne Bagger, a 37-year-old Dane, became the first transsexual golfer to qualify for the Ladies European Tour. The Ladies European Tour changed its rules this year to eliminate the ``female at birth'' in its membership policy.