Sports digest 12/18/01

EIU's Domercant honored by OVC

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- Eastern Illinois' Henry Domercant was honored Monday as the Ohio Valley Conference player of the week.

The junior guard scored a career-high 40 points in the team's victory over Loyola Saturday to give Eastern Illinois its sixth straight victory. He also tied a school record with 17 free throws.

Jair Peralta of Tennessee-Martin is the OVC newcomer of the week. He graduated earlier in the day and didn't arrive until halftime of Tennessee-Martin's loss to Mississippi. But the senior guard, who is continuing his studies, scored 17 points and handed out three assists in 17 minutes of play.

Austin Peay's Anthony Davis got rookie honors.

Oklahoma St. QB injured in accident

LAWTON, Okla. -- Oklahoma State quarterback Aso Pogi was seriously injured Monday afternoon when the vehicle he was driving collided nearly head-on with a tractor-trailer rig.

Pogi, who took over as starting quarterback for the Cowboys last season, had severe injuries to his left arm after the 2 p.m. crash in Lawton, said police Capt. John DeBoard.

Pogi, a Lawton native, was in stable condition at Comanche County Memorial Hospital, DeBoard said.

Police said the 6-foot-3 quarterback lost control of his vehicle, jumped a median into oncoming traffic and colliding with a semi truck on U.S. 62.

The tractor-trailer rig was carrying a load of diesel fuel. The driver of the semi was not injured.

Redskins' Green changes retirement plan

ASHBURN, Va. -- Darrell Green plans to return to the Washington Redskins for a 20th NFL season.

The 41-year-old cornerback said Monday he no longer intends to retire after the season, a change of heart spurred by the fans and made possible by an improved relationship with coach Marty Schottenheimer.

"When I announced my plan to retire and devote myself to my foundation, I said I could play for several more years," Green said. "After discussing it with my wife, Jewell, and our family, I decided it was premature to retire this year."

Bengals' Smith lost for season with injury

CINCINNATI -- Akili Smith has a torn left hamstring that will end his season and cloud his future with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tests on Monday found that the third-year quarterback, making his first start of the season, tore part of the hamstring loose from the bone during a 15-14 loss to the New York Jets.

Smith led the Bengals on a 20-play touchdown drive, then felt the hamstring pop as he scrambled midway through the second quarter.

The injury initially was thought to be a pulled hamstring, but the tests found the tear. Smith will see two specialists to decide whether he needs surgery to reattach the muscle.

Saints suspend wide receiver

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints suspended wide receiver Albert Connell for the final four games of the season on Monday and fined him an additional paycheck "for conduct detrimental to the team."

Connell's suspension had been expected. Coach Jim Haslett said last week that he would not be on the field again this year and Connell had cleaned out his locker.

Connell signed a five-year contract that included a $2.5 million signing bonus. Of that, $500,000 counted toward this year's salary cap. Had the Saints chosen to release Connell, the remaining $2 million would have applied to next year's cap.

The Saints had hoped Connell would complement wide receiver Joe Horn, but he has played sparingly and dropped down the depth chart, first to No. 3 and then to No. 4.

He had 12 catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

-- From wire reports