Indianapolis – Indiana Pacers forward Shawne Williams was arrested on marijuana possession and other charges Tuesday – the third incident in less than a year involving Indiana players.
Team president Larry Bird said the organization was “extremely disappointed” by Williams’ arrest.
“Although the legal process needs to be followed, we will not accept Shawne putting himself in this position, regardless of innocence or guilt,” Bird said. “This was clearly a bad and unacceptable decision. We will be meeting with Shawne at some point to discuss this and pursue any disciplinary action we can take.”
The Pacers’ first-round draft pick last year from Memphis, Williams was booked into the Marion County Jail early Tuesday on initial charges of possession of marijuana, driving without a license, driving with an expired license plate and failure to signal a lane change, police said. In addition, a front-seat passenger was arrested on marijuana possession charges and a back-seat passenger was arrested on charges of carrying a gun without a license and theft. The 9 mm handgun had been reported stolen in Collierville, Tenn., according to a police report. An initial hearing for Williams is scheduled for Friday.
COLLEGES
Long to replace Broyles at Arkansas
Pittsburgh’s Jeff Long was hired to replace Arkansas’ longtime athletic director Frank Broyles, who spent a half-century with the Razorbacks.
Broyles started at Arkansas in 1957 when he was hired as football coach and coached the Razorbacks until 1977, when Lou Holtz took over. Broyles retires at the end of the year. Long, Pitt’s AD since 2003, will serve as an adviser before taking over Jan. 1.
North Carolina State freshman Johnny Thomas will miss the basketball season because of a knee injury. Wolfpack officials said Thomas had diagnostic arthroscopic surgery last week and will have another operation in the future.
Duquesne University basketball coach Ron Everhart, 45, is expected to remain hospitalized until Friday after having a small portion of his colon removed.
Canisius basketball coach Tom Parrotta received a contract extension that will keep him at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference school through the 2010-11 season. Parrotta led the Golden Griffins to a 12-19 record in 2006-07, his first season.
FOOTNOTES
Greece advances to Euro quarterfinals
Greece clinched a berth in the quarterfinals of the European Basketball Championship in Spain, with an 85-67 win over Portugal, while Croatia advanced despite an 83-70 loss to Russia.
Spain rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to beat Israel 99-73 and put the Spaniards atop Group E.
Houston Rockets swingman Justin Reed was cleared of misdemeanor marijuana charges in Jackson, Miss., because others submitted affidavits claiming the drugs, his attorney said.
The Philadelphia 76ers signed two rookies – Derrick Byars, a swingman out of Vanderbilt, and Herbert Hill, a forward/center from Providence.
Guard Ramon Sessions, a second-round draft pick out of Nevada, signed a multiyear contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The New York Islanders acquired forward Ben Walter and a conditional second-round pick in the 2009 draft from the Boston Bruins for former first- round selection Petteri Nokelainen.
Argentina moved closer to the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals with a 33-3 victory over Georgia on the fifth day of the six-week championship in France.
U.S. center Paul Emerick received a five-week ban for a dangerous tackle on England flyhalf Olly Barkley in the Eagles’ 28-10 defeat in Group A on Saturday.
England captain Phil Vickery, cited for tripping Emerick when the American was about to set off for the tryline, was suspended for two games.
Ivan Dominguez of Cuba fought off cramps and a hill on the final stretch to break out of a tight group of riders to win the first stage of the inaugural Tour of Missouri. Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Discovery Channel was 85th among the team of international riders who made the 85-mile circuit beginning and ending in Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza.
Tunisian swimmer Oussama Mellouli was banned for 18 months for a doping violation and stripped of the gold (800 freestyle) and silver (400 freestyle) medals he won at the world championships.
