Sports briefs 11/3/03

Baseball

Former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine agreed Sunday to return to Japan to manage the Lotte Marines.

He arrived in Tokyo on Saturday and met with officials of the Pacific League team, agreeing to a three-year deal. An announcement is expected today.

Basketball

Atlanta Hawks guard Jason Terry was suspended by the NBA for one game without pay after he elbowed Indiana's Anthony Johnson during a loss to the Pacers. Terry will miss Atlanta's game today against New Orleans.

College

Ray Nelson of Samford and Justen Rivers of Eastern Kentucky were named Ohio Valley Conference players of the week.

Nelson completed 24 of 36 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns in Samford's 42-24 victory at Tennessee Tech. He also rushed for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Rivers, a linebacker, had six tackles, two assists, one fumble recovery and one tackle for loss in Eastern Kentucky's 38-20 victory over Murray State.

Jesse Ohliger of Murray State, a punter-placekicker, was special teams player of the week and quarterback Andrew Goodenough of Southeast Missouri was newcomer of the week.

Football

A 32-year-old man was in serious condition after falling from the third level at new Soldier Field during Sunday's game between the Bears and San Diego, Chicago police said. Police would not release the fan's name.

The man landed on a grassy area, and officer JoAnn Taylor said he was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She wouldn't release any details on his injuries.

Soldier Field reopened Sept. 29 after being refurbished as part of a $606 million lakefront beautification project.

Hockey

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman/forward Jason Strudwick will undergo surgery this week to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist. Strudwick injured his wrist last Thursday in the first period of the Blackhawks' game against Pittsburgh.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder will undergo surgery on Tuesday. He is expected to be out of the lineup for about three months.

Running

Kenyans again ruled the New York City Marathon on Sunday, with Margaret Okayo smashing the course record and Martin Lel winning his first marathon ever.

Okayo won the New York race for the second time, crossing the line in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 31 seconds. She shattered her 2001 course record by nearly two minutes.

Lel was timed in 2:10:30.

Seven of the top 10 men and four of the top 10 women were from Kenya.

Tennis

Tim Henman ended a disappointing season on a high note Sunday, beating Romania's Andrei Pavel 6-2, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (2) to capture the Paris Masters title.-- From wire reports