Parks earns Valley honors for third time

SIUC cross country runner Joseph Parks earned Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors Monday for the third time this season.

Parks, a junior from Eldorado, earned the award after he finished first at the Saluki Invitational with a time of 24 minutes and 39 seconds. The win marked Parks’ second top finish this season, and his effort gave the Salukis a team win over Washington University.

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Parks, whose time was his best MVC performance, also won the award Sept. 8 and Sept. 22.

New Mexico State suspends Hubbard

New Mexico State University suspended starting point guard Antoine Hubbard for an indefinite period of time Monday. This follows his arrest Sept. 22 on charges of domestic violence and battery.

Hubbard, a 5-foot-10 senior, was the Big West Conference assist leader last season with an average of 5.8 points per game. He was also the Aggies’ second-leading scorer at 13.6 points per contest.

Hubbard was jailed after the incident involving his fianc. Police reports state Hubbard’s fianc had a bruised and swollen lip, redness around her left eye, scratches on her shoulder and arms and a torn dress after an early-morning call to authorities.

Hubbard is the second New Mexico State basketball player to have a recent run-in with the law. Shooting guard Denmark Reid was arrested for driving under the influence in early August and also was suspended from the team. He was reinstated to the squad Monday.

Iverson appeals one-game suspension

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Philadelphia 76ers star guard Allen Iverson appealed Monday the one-game suspension handed to him last week by the National Basketball Association.

Iverson was ordered to sit out the Oct. 31 season-opener against Milwaukee by NBA commissioner David Stern, who suspended him for improper behavior off the court. Iverson pleaded no contest to a charge of carrying a concealed weapon after an August incident in which a gun and marijuana were found in his car. A drug charge was dropped.

Iverson, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year averaged 23.5 points and 7.5 assists in 76 games last season.

Bulls, Rodman reportedly reach contract agreement

The Chicago Bulls and free-agent Dennis Rodman reportedly have reached a verbal agreement on a new contract. His agent told the Chicago Sun Times Tuesday that the controversial forward will be in uniform by today or Thursday.

Agent Dwight Manley would not comment on the supposed agreement, which reportedly calls for Rodman to receive a guaranteed base salary of $2.5 million. That compares to what Manley has claimed was a $3.1 million offer from an Eastern Conference team he would not identify.

Rodman will be going into his 12th NBA season and his third in Chicago. He is one of the greatest rebounders in league history, and his 16.1 rebounds per game average last year led the NBA in that department for the sixth season in a row.

Rodman started 54 of his 55 games last season, and he also averaged 5.7 points and 3.1 assists. Rodman was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1990 and 1991 and has been chosen for the league’s All-Defensive first team seven times.