Cristiano Ronaldo at the Vicente Calderon Stadium. Barcelo

CAMDEN, N.J. -- Kobe Bryant is playing some of his toughest defence yet, demanding his mother keeps her hands off his merchandise. Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers guard, said in a court filing that he never gave his mother permission to sell mementos from his high school days and early professional basketball career. Bryant is in a court battle over whether hundreds of items -- from high school jerseys to trophies and championship rings -- can be auctioned off. Pamela Bryant said the NBA star told her the memorabilia was hers. She arranged earlier this year to auction it off through Berlin, N.J.-based Goldin Auctions and received a $450,000 advance. Last week, lawyers for the son wrote to the auction house demanding it cease the June sale. Goldin is suing to assert its right to sell. In a filing Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Camden, Kobe Bryant says his mother acknowledged to him recently that she did not have permission to sell the items. The suit was filed there because the auction house is located in southern New Jersey. Goldin dubbed the auction "The Bryant Collection," and the main page of its website shows three Lower Merion uniforms from his high school days and one familiar No. 8 Lakers jersey. Theres even a surfboard from when he won a Teen Choice award among the roughly 100 items listed. "I never told my mother that she could have my personal property, let alone consign it for public auction," Bryant wrote in the filing. He also posted on Twitter, "When u give Give GIVE and they take Take TAKE at wat point do u draw a line in the sand? (hash) hurtbeyondmeasure (hash) gavemenowarning (hash) love?" According to court filings, Pamela Bryant struck a deal in January with Goldin, which earlier this year sold a rare Honus Wagner baseball card for a record $2.1 million. She received $450,000 up front, which she intended to use for a new home in Nevada. In its court filings, Goldin says Pamela Bryant told the auction house that she asked her son five years ago what he wanted to do with the items that were in her home. "Kobe Bryant indicated to Pamela Bryant that the items belonged to her and that he had no interest in them," the auction houses attorneys wrote. So she put them in a $1,500-per-month New Jersey storage unit. The challenge came Tuesday when Goldin sent a news release announcing the auction. By days end, Kobe Bryants lawyer had sent a cease-and-desist letter telling the auction house to call off the sale and return the items to him. Kenneth Goldin, owner of the auction house, says he cant cancel the auction because hes already advanced $450,000 to Bryants mother and put money into advertising the auction. Kobe Bryants lawyer Mark Campbell said in a statement, "Mr. Bryants personal property has ended up in the possession of someone who does not lawfully own it. We look forward to resolving this legal matter through the legal system." Bryant has had a sometimes icy relationship with his mother and father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, a former pro basketball player who is now coaching in Thailand. In the court filing, it states that the husband and wife are overseas this week. Swell Water Bottle Discount . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Cheap SWell Bottles . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. http://www.swellwaterbottleireland.com/ .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Swell Water Bottle Clearance .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Swell Bottles Ireland . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. MADRID -- Less than two months after taking over at Valencia, Cesare Prandelli is already hearing the boos at Mestalla Stadium.The former Italy coach and his players were jeered Sunday after Valencia was held to a 1-1 draw by last-place Granada in the Spanish league, a result that extended the clubs four-game winless streak and kept it near the relegation zone.Prandelli arrived amid big expectations after being hired in October by Singapore investor Peter Lim. But following a 2-1 win in his debut against Sporting Gijon, the team has lost twice and drawn twice.The draw against Granada, which is yet to win a game after 12 rounds, made a predictable impact on the home supporters.When things dont go well, the fans will pressure you, its fair, Prandelli said. We must remain calm. The problem is not only psychological, but when you have a clear mind you have more courage.Valencia is 15th in the 20-team standings with 11 points, only two clear of the relegation zone.Im responsible for the team, Prandelli said. The players should not think negatively. They should not lower their heads, only with courage can we improve.Belgian midfielder Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez put Granada ahead in first-half injury time and Nani equalized for the hosts two minutes into the second half. Valencia created a few scoring opportunities after that, but was unable to take them.This point means nothing to us. We need to win games to leave the position we are in, Argentine midfielder Enzo Perez said. We need to unite more than ever to try to overcome this situation. We cant keep making these silly mistakes. Its going to be difficult to get the results we need if this keeps happening.ddddddddddddValencia is the last team other than Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico to win the league title, back in 2004.Madrid opened a four-point lead over Barcelona on Saturday by beating crosstown rival Atletico Madrid 3-0 with a hat trick by Cristiano Ronaldo at the Vicente Calderon Stadium. Barcelona was held to a 0-0 draw at home by Malaga, while Sevilla is third after rallying to beat Deportivo 3-2 in La Coruna.Atletico, which has lost three of its last four matches, is in fifth place, nine points behind Real Madrid.---ATHLETIC BILBAO 1, VILLARREAL 0Raul Garcia scored in the 67th minute to help seventh-place Athletic Bilbao beat Villarreal and end a three-match winless streak.Villarreal could have finished the weekend in third place if it had won in Bilbao, but the loss left the club two points behind Sevilla.Villarreal is tied on 22 points with Real Sociedad, which defeated Sporting 3-1 in Gijon for its fourth win in a row.---ALAVES 0, ESPANYOL 1Espanyol extended its unbeaten streak to six matches thanks to Gerard Morenos 81st-minute winner at Alaves.The result gave the club from Barcelona its second win in three matches and kept it without a loss since a 2-0 defeat at Celta Vigo in September.It reached 12th place in the 20-team standings, two spots ahead of Alaves, which has lost three of its last four matches.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni ' ' '