Aug. 29, 2002, 9:13PM Thompson leaves USA team Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle News Services Because of medical reasons, Comets power forward Tina Thompson withdrew from playing on USA Basketball's women's world championship team Thursday. New York Liberty center Tari Phillips will take Thompson's place. "I'm saddened by the fact that Tina Thompson, a player who I just love to coach and would have been a tremendous asset to this team, is unable to play," Comets coach Van Chancellor said Thursday. Chancellor is coach of the U.S. women, who will compete in the World Championships in China on Sept. 14-25. The coach calls Phillips "a terrific rebounder and a real hard-nosed player." Thompson suffered a bruised right hip prior to the WNBA regular season's finish. She sat out the final three regular-season games, but played in the Western Conference semifinals won by Utah. Meanwhile, referee Bill Stokes, who collapsed at the Comets' playoff game Aug. 20, will be leaving Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital today.
