BRIEFLY.

Byline: Sprewell testifies, gag order prevails - Daily News Wire Services

After claiming he was denied due process by the NBA, Latrell Sprewell finally had his day in court Thursday, testifying before arbitrator John Feerick in Portland.

Details of Sprewell's testimony aren't known because of a gag order placed on the participants. But Sprewell, serving a record one-year suspension, was expected to testify that his coach, P.J. Carlesimo, provoked the Dec. 1 attack and that he never committed a second assault.

Seattle placed forward Jerome Kersey on the injured list because of a separated left shoulder, and the 35-year-old could miss up to six weeks. He was injured in the fourth quarter of Seattle's win Wednesday over Utah.

Tony Dumas, traded by Phoenix in the offseason deal involving Antonio McDyess, was waived by Cleveland. The Cavs are making room on the roster for guard Bob Sura, who returns after two months on the disabled list because of a severe left-ankle sprain and tendinitis.

SKIING: Kristina Koznick won a slalom in Are, Sweden, for the first World Cup victory of her career and the first win this season for the United States.

FOOTBALL: Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis interviewed a second time with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has been looking to fill his head-coaching position.

Lewis, former San Francisco coach George Seifert and former UCLA coach Terry Donahue have each had two interviews.

Jones also has another staff opening after Ernie Zampese left with one year left on his contract to become offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots.

MEDIA: Former NBC lead analyst Phil Simms and studio host Greg Gumbel were hired to form CBS Sports' No. 1 team as the network brings back pro football.

CBS also announced that it hired NBC analyst Randy Cross to work either on games or in the studio, and Jim Nantz will anchor the network's pregame show. CBS has been in contact with NBC analysts Sam Wyche and Bob Trumpy and ESPN's Mike Patrick.

Gumbel and Cross both worked at CBS before the network lost the rights to the NFL in 1993.

Ted Turner and NBC are involved in preliminary talks about setting up a new football league to rival the NFL, a spokesman for Time Warner confirmed. Atlanta television station WAGA reported the since the new NFL television contract shuts out NBC and Turner Broadcasting, which is owned by Time Warner, the two have talked about another option.

DRAG RACING: Cory McClenathan, who missed preseason testing while recovering from back surgery, set an event speed record in Top Fuel with a run at 319.71 mph in qualifying for the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona.

He covered the quarter-mile strip at Pomona Raceway in 4.63 seconds.

His was one of only three successful runs in the rain-marred opening round of time trials for the competition Sunday.

BASEBALL: Atlanta signed 42-year-old pitcher Dennis Martinez to a minor-league contract as an insurance measure in case John Smoltz isn't ready to start the season after undergoing surgery last month to remove bone chips from his elbow.

Cleveland general manager John Hart said he has stopped talking with Minnesota about a trade for All-Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch.

The Indians signed designated hitter Geronimo Berroa to a $2.2 million, one-year contract. Berroa, 32, hit .283 with 26 homers and 90 RBI last season with Oakland and Baltimore.

John Valentin agreed to a four-year contract worth an average of $6.25 million annually with the Boston Red Sox.

Pete Incaviglia, 33, already invited to spring training by Detroit, agreed to a minor-league contract that could bring him $300,000 if he makes the big league team.

HOCKEY: Detroit Red Wings center Steve Yzerman likely will miss the team's next two games after suffering a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee Wednesday.

COUNTDOWN TO OLYMPICS

Days until opening ceremony: 8.

Snowfall Thursday: No new snow in Nagano or on men's downhill course. Accumulation: 7 inches in Nagano city, and 6 feet, 6-3/4 inches on the downhill course.

Olympic update: Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will be the hosts at a welcoming party at a Nagano hotel the eve of the Winter Olympics starts on Feb. 7. The 170-guest invitation list includes IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, as well as Princess Anne of Britain and Prince Albert of Monaco, both IOC members.

Carrying the torch: The Olympic flame passed through the towns of Wada, Nagato, Takeishi, Nakagawa, Iijima, Komagane, Kisofukushima, Hiyoshi, Kiso and Narukawa in Nagano on Thursday.

Going for the gold: The U.S. women's hockey team leaves for Nagano today with a 24-7-1 record in its Olympic tour after losing to 4-2 to Canada (20-6) Wednesday night.

Language lesson: One befuddling question remains at the Nagano Games: How do you pronounce the name of the city? Is it NAH-gah-no or Nah-GAH-no? The answer is - either. Conductors on Nagano train platforms stress the first syllable, announcing: ``The bullet train will soon arrive at NAH-gah-no station.'' Residents in the southern part of the prefecture refer to their home as ``Nah-GAH-no.'' And national broadcaster NHK, considered the arbiter of Japanese pronunciation, hedges by reporting on the ``NAH-GAH-NO'' Games, giving equal emphasis to each syllable in line with standard diction.

- Associated Press

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Photo, Box

Photo: Golden State assistant general manager Al Attles arrives in Portland to give testimony in the Latrell Sprewell hearing.

Associated Press

Box: COUNTDOWN TO OLYMPICS (See Text)