Breakup Preceded Camby Standoff

The man charged with sexually assaulting one of New York Knick center Marcus Camby’s sisters had threatened her hours before the attack, she told police.

In court documents opened to the public Monday in Manchester, Conn., Camby’s sister said Troy Crooms threatened her after she ended their relationship over the telephone.

Crooms is charged with first-degree sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, unlawful restraint and possession of a weapon for an eight-hour standoff at the home of Camby’s mother on April 23.

Camby’s mother and two of his sisters were in the house when the standoff began. Crooms allegedly held one sister at knifepoint throughout the ordeal.

The sister told police she had known Crooms for about a year and started dating him in February. They had argued on the telephone the night before the standoff.

Crooms was in court Monday for a hearing in which his case was transferred to Hartford Superior Court. He did not speak to the judge during the brief hearing.

Crooms is listed on the state’s database of sex offenders because of a 1993 conviction. He also has been convicted of forgery, narcotics possession and other crimes.

Seattle SuperSonic forward Ruben Patterson, 25, will enter a modified guilty plea to an attempted rape charge on Friday in King County Superior Court, his attorney, John Wolfe, said in Seattle.

Prosecutors were expected to file the actual charge today.

Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but agrees there may be sufficient evidence for a jury to convict him.

The maximum sentence for attempted third-degree rape, a gross misdemeanor, is one year in jail.

Patterson, married with three children, forced himself on the family’s nanny, according to a Bellevue police report cited by KING-TV.

Toronto Raptor forward Keon Clark was fined $7,500 for throwing ice at Philadelphia spectators during Sunday’s game against the 76ers, the league announced.

Meanwhile, 76er Coach Larry Brown said he wasn’t worried after losing Game 1 of his second consecutive series.

“I know we can beat this team,” Brown said. “I know if we play the right way we can win.”

Philadelphia rebounded to win three in a row after losing the opener in its first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.

San Antonio Spur center David Robinson won the NBA Sportsmanship Award, receiving 82 of 124 votes from a panel of media members.

He asked that the $25,000 award be donated to the Carver Academy, a San Antonio school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students from primarily low-income families. Robinson and his wife, Valerie, have donated $5 million to the project.

Each NBA team nominated one player for the award.