Report: Thomas was overdose victim

Isiah Thomas, the former Knicks president and head coach, was taken from his Purchase, N.Y., home by ambulance and hospitalized early yesterday after he accidentally overdosed on sleeping pills, the New York Times is reporting. After a day of conflicting reports, a person directly involved confirmed it was Thomas. He was released from the hospital and was reported to be fine. Emergency personnel responding to a 911 call said they found an unconscious 47-year-old man. At least two earlier reports indicated Thomas, 47, was not involved. In a brief interview with The New York Post, Thomas said it was his teenage daughter, Lauren, who was in distress. Harrison Police Chief David Hall refuted those claims. "I understand that this person claims it was his daughter; he is lying," Hall said. "It was definitely not his daughter, it was a male." . . . Derrick Rose, the first overall pick in this year's draft, left the Bulls' exhibition finale vs. Milwaukee with a right hip flexor injury.

Philadelphia Flyers center Daniel Briere will be sidelined up to a month because of a torn abdominal muscle. Briere, who had 31 goals and 41 assists in helping the Flyers reach the Eastern Conference finals last season, is scheduled to have surgery today in Philadelphia . . . Florida defenseman Bryan Allen is set to have surgery on his left knee Monday and will be out indefinitely.

Arizona selected Russ Pennell as the interim replacement for retired coach Lute Olson. Pennell, 47, is a former assistant to Rob Evans at Arizona State and served last year as a Sun Devils radio analyst. The university turned to Pennell, who has never been a college head coach, after Mike Dunlap, Olson's top assistant, said he wanted to remain on the staff as an assistant.

New Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said recently fired Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost and former Seattle interim manager Jim Riggleman are two candidates to be Seattle's new skipper in 2009. Riggleman was hired as the bench coach of the Washington Nationals yesterday, but the Mariners said he remains in the running to return to Seattle and the Nationals said they would not stand in his way if he were offered the Mariners job . . . Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was named to the Sporting News All-Star team, selected by a panel of general managers and assistant GMs.

Roger Federer moved a step closer to a third consecutive Swiss Indoors title when he beat Simone Bolelli, 6-2, 6-3, in the quarterfinals in Basel . . . Top-seeded Elena Dementieva beat former No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo, 6-4, 6-0, to reach the semifinals of the Fortis Championships in Luxembourg . . . Seve Ballesteros underwent a third operation at a Madrid hospital for a cancerous brain tumor, a 6 1/2-hour procedure doctors said went "better than expected." Doctors removed the rest of the tumor and reduced brain swelling. Ballesteros, 51, was in stable condition . . . Arron Oberholser shot a 6-under-par 64 for an 11-under 129 and a one-stroke lead over Steve Allan halfway through the PGA Frys.com Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. . . . In Haikou, China, Laura Diaz shot a 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead over Seon Hwa Lee after Round 1 of the LPGA's Grand China Air . . . Mark James birdied the first six holes on the back nine and shot an 8-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead over Dan Forsman in the Champions AT&T Championship in San Antonio . . . David Beckham said he will be back with the Los Angeles Galaxy for the start of the 2009 Major League Soccer season.