Missouri's Clemons sentenced to jail term

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri basketball player Ricky Clemons was sentenced Friday to 60 days in jail for his earlier guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of assault and false imprisonment of a woman at his apartment.

Clemons, 22, who pleaded guilty to the reduced charges April 21, is to report to the Boone County Jail on Monday. He will also have two years of unsupervised probation.

Circuit Judge Gene Hamilton said he would consider a defense request to allow Clemons to participate in a work-release program, which could mean he would not have to be behind bars for the entire sentence.

Clemons had no comment after his sentencing.

Prosecutor Kevin Crane had sought a 90-day jail sentence for Clemons, who was charged after a January incident at his Columbia apartment.

Jessica Bunge, of St. Clair, alleged Clemons pushed her down, bloodied her nose and choked her the night of Jan. 16 after she refused to watch a movie. Clemons was arrested the next day and suspended from the team for one game.

Bunge described the assault on the stand Friday, including demonstrating on Crane the choke hold she said Clemons used on her neck.

After the sentencing, Bunge said: "I hope he does not do it to anyone else."

Missouri coach Quin Snyder took the stand to ask for fair sentencing for Clemons, a guard who was suspended from competing during the 2003-'04 season the same day he entered his guilty pleas.

"Ricky and I have spent hours and hours taking about his life, where he's been and where he's going," Snyder said during a 15-minute appearance on the stand.

Clemons would still have a year of eligibility left after sitting out next season. Missouri has said it will honor Clemons' scholarship, "provided he continues to progress toward his degree and meets his academic and social responsibilities."

After the court session, Snyder told reporters that while Clemons sits out the next season it will help him be able to focus on other areas of his life.