<table> </table> <strong><span class="subhead">Rockets buy Ike supplies</span></strong></p><p>The Houston Rockets purchased four tractor-trailers full of food, water and toiletries for victims of Hurricane Ike, and players unloaded them at a distribution center Thursday in Houston.</p><p>Forwards <strong>Mike Harris </strong>and <strong>Chuck Hayes </strong>and guards <strong>Rafer Alston</strong>, <strong>Aaron Brooks </strong>and <strong>Luther Head </strong>greeted motorists who waited in long lines to get supplies in the parking lot next to the University of Houston football stadium. The Rockets and the Feed the Children organization also worked together three years ago during hurricanes Katrina and Rita.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">More trouble for Del Biaggio</span></strong></p><p>Former NHL player <strong>Luc Robitaille</strong>, who now works in the Los Angeles Kings front office, claims he was defrauded of $2 million by former Nashville Predators minority owner <strong>William &#8220;Boots&#8221; Del Biaggio</strong>. Robitaille claims he was duped into co-signing a line of credit with Del Biaggio that was put into Del Biaggio&#8217;s account and used to finance Del Biaggio&#8217;s &#8220;extravagant lifestyle.&#8221;</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">U.S. hoping for feat on clay</span></strong></p><p>The U.S. Davis Cup team, playing without doubles specialist <strong>Bob Bryan </strong>or <strong>James Blake, </strong>opens its semifinal match against Spain in a bullring today in Madrid. Replacement player <strong>Sam Querrey </strong>will face <strong>Rafael Nadal </strong>in the opeining singles match. <strong>Andy Roddick </strong>will play <strong>David Ferrer </strong>in the other singles match of the first day. Nadal is ranked No. 1 in the world, Ferrer is No. 5. Roddick is No. 8, and Querrey will be playing in his first-ever Davis Cup match.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Better than Big Brown</span></strong></p><p>Shadow Play won the second leg of the pacing Triple Crown when he overcame a hoof separation and won the Little Brown Jug at Delaware County Fairgrounds. After the first heat Shadow Play was noticeably lame, and trainer Ian Moore found a problem in the heel of his right front hoof.</p><p>The horse was shod with a leather pad to alleviate the discomfort and was sound for the race. Big Brown suffered a quarter crack in his left front hoof before the Belmont Stakes and finished last in that race.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">NASCAR settles suit</span></strong></p><p>NASCAR has made an oral agreement to a $2.5 million settlement in the death of pilot <strong>Michael Klemm</strong>, who was killed when a company plane crashed in central Florida last year. A handwritten document in the court file noted a &#8220;wrongful death claim approved&#8221; according to <em>The Daytona Beach News-Journal </em>this week. Later the court file was sealed.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Elsewhere</span></strong></p><p>&#8226;The Columbus Crew beat the New York Red Bulls 3-1, giving them five wins in the last six games.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>Alberto Contador </strong>maintained the overall lead in the Spanish Vuelta over teammate <strong>Levi Leipheimer </strong>of the U.S. The race finishes Sunday in Madrid.