Washington's Appleby holds no hard feeling toward Oregon's Brooks

Updated: January 25, 2007, 3:02 AM ET
Associated Press

SEATTLE -- Almost a year later, Ryan Appleby still doesn't know what triggered Oregon's Aaron Brooks' anger.

Maybe it was an Appleby shoulder that brushed against Brooks' jaw moments earlier, or that Oregon was already playing from behind in a must-win game.

Whatever instigated Brooks' forearm that left Appleby's mouth cut and bloodied in last year's Pac-10 tournament hasn't been shared with the Washington guard.

"I still don't have any idea why, why it all came about," Appleby said this week.

Brooks won't be with his Oregon teammates Thursday night when the seventh-ranked Ducks play at Washington. The Seattle native will make the trip to his hometown, but is suspended for the game and isn't being allowed inside Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

In total, it's a three-game suspension Brooks is serving for his shot to Appleby's face midway through the first half of last year's Pac-10 quarterfinal. Oregon went on to beat the Huskies that night, but Brooks was suspended for Oregon's next game against California, then missed the Ducks' season-opener this year against Lehigh.

Midway through the Pac-10 season, Brooks is making a strong case for conference player of the year consideration. He's averaging a league-best 18.4 points and is fifth with 4.7 assists. Four times this season he has scored in the final minute of regulation or overtime to win or tie a game, helping the seventh-ranked Ducks to an 18-1 start.

But Brooks won't be playing Thursday night, on the last trip to his hometown. He's expected to watch the game on television with his family.

"I know how much Aaron Brooks has agonized over what he did," Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. "Here's somebody that's having an incredible year ... and his hometown won't have an opportunity to see him at his best."

Oregon officials did not make Brooks available for interviews this week to Seattle reporter, but he told Oregon reporters that he accepted his punishment and was "happy" that Appleby is OK.

With 10 minutes left in the first half of last year's game in Los Angeles, Brooks went to set a screen and thrust his right forearm into Appleby's face, dropping the guard to the court. Appleby returned in the second half, but was ineffective as the Ducks pulled the upset.

After the game, Brooks wrote letters of apology to both Appleby and Washington coach Lorenzo Romar. Appleby said that's the only communication he's had with Brooks, but said there are no ill feelings toward Brooks. Romar supported Oregon's decision to suspend Brooks for Thursday's game, but Appleby was surprised the penalty covered just the game in Seattle.

"It kind of seemed like just suspending him to play us here was kind of weird just because it's more maybe for him because the fans would be on him," Appleby said.

In the past, Brooks would drop in and play pickup games with Washington players during the summer. There was no sign of the senior guard around the Washington campus this past summer.

"I know Aaron and he's really not that type of guy at all," Washington's Jon Brockman said. "But your emotions can take over in a game and you really can't do that."


Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

ESPN Conversations

comments

MORE MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL HEADLINES