Sports briefs

NBAHeat's Green returns, mystery remains

Gerald Green returned to practice with the Miami Heat yesterday, though what exactly caused his extended absence from the team remains a closely guarded secret. Green expressed remorse for the incident but did not offer any new details on what happened at his apartment building Nov. 4. "This whole situation, to me, was an incident that I'm ashamed of," Green said. "I'm just trying to get over this situation. I can't apologize enough to the residents that live in my building, my fans who support me and definitely my family and definitely this organization that's had my back. It's a situation I'm not proud of . . . " Green has missed Miami's past six games. He was suspended for the last two for what the Heat described only as conduct detrimental to the team. The saga began Nov. 3, when Green called in sick for a game against Atlanta. The next morning, according to Miami police, Green went to the lobby of his apartment building with bloodied hands and asked a front-desk worker for help. He then fell on a valet parking ramp adjacent to the front doors, punched a man after getting up and was so combative with rescue personnel that police had to handcuff him for the ambulance ride to the hospital.

GOLFFathauer leads at Mayakoba

Derek Fathauer played bogey-free on his way to another 6-under 66 that gave him a one-shot lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba at Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. He has a chance to extend an unusual streak on the PGA Tour. First-time winners have captured all five of the PGA Tour events at the start of the wraparound season. Fathauer would love to make it six in a row. Fathauer was at 16-under 197 and led by one shot over Jason Bohn, who missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole . . . Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the BMW Masters . . . Inbee Park made two late birdies and shot 5-under 67 to open a three-stroke lead in the LPGA Tour's Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Mexico City.

TENNISSharapova gets Russia level in Fed Cup

Maria Sharapova won to put Russia level with the defending champion Czech Republic at 1-1 in the Fed Cup final at Prague. Sharapova defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-4, after two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova overcame a slow start to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. The reverse singles and doubles are today at O2 Arena, where security has been stepped up following the terrorist attacks in Paris. "As to everyone, it's a big shock," Sharapova said about the attacks. "It's very sad. It's one of my favorite cities in the world." -- AP