Mason’s Big Season Pays Off

Anthony Mason, won won the NBA’s sixth man award last season after rejecting a three-year, $9-million offer from the New York Knicks, signed a reported six-year, $24-million contract Thursday to remain with the team.

Mason was an unrestricted free agent.

“He rolled the dice and it came up seven,” General Manager Ernie Grunfeld said. “Anthony got rewarded. He got what he wanted--a contract that he earned.”

Mason, 28, was suspended in each of the last two seasons after disputes with former coach Pat Riley. He averaged 9.9 points, a career-high 8.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

He said Riley’s departure to the Miami Heat had nothing to do with his re-signing.

“It wasn’t really about the coach,” he said. “It wouldn’t have made a difference.”

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Forward Richard Dumas, who was once in John Lucas’ drug rehabilitation program, was reunited with his former counselor when Lucas, the coach and general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, signed him as a free agent.

Dumas, whose talent has been overshadowed by substance abuse that led to two suspensions for violating NBA drug policy, was released by the Phoenix Suns during the playoffs last spring.

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Milwaukee Buck forward Glenn Robinson took a swing at a female gas station attendant who told him to turn down the volume on his truck tape player, according to a police report in Gary, Ind. The prosecutor’s office there has not decided whether to file charges.

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Without explanation, the Portland Trail Blazers canceled a news conference at which they were expected to announce the signing of Lithuanian star Arvydas Sabonis.

Golf

Tracy Hanson finished at four-under-par 68 in the rain, wind and chill for a one-stroke lead after one round of the LPGA’s Heartland Classic at St. Louis.

First-round play at the Quad City Classic at Coal Valley, Ill., was suspended by rain during the first round. D.A. Weibring, a two-time Quad City winner, led at six under par after 11 holes.

Jurisprudence

A federal jury convicted George Lindemann Jr. and his trainer, Marion Hulick, of insurance fraud for having a show horse killed to collect on a $250,000 policy.

Boxing promoter Don King smiled and waved to prospective jurors on the first day of his federal wire-fraud trial in New York. King, 63, is charged with nine counts of mail fraud.

Horse Racing

Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. will make his comeback Oct. 1 at El Comandante Race Track in his native Puerto Rico. Cordero, 52, retired in 1992 after a bad spill at Aqueduct. . . . John Campbell drove Nick’s Fantasy to a stakes-record time of 1:51 2/5 in winning the 50th Little Brown Jug pacing classic at Delaware, Ohio.

Tennis

Defending champion Magdalena Maleeva defeated Asa Carlsson of Sweden, 6-3, 6-7 (7-1), 6-2, to advance to the semifinals of the Moscow Ladies Open. American Meredith McGrath defeated Yelena Likhovtseva, 6-2, 6-2.

Hockey

Chicago Blackhawk owner William Wirtz remained at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after possibly suffering a stroke.

Miscellany

Leo Miles, the NFL’s supervisor of officials since 1991 and a game official for 22 seasons, died of a heart attack. He was 64. . . . Basketball player Rebecca Lobo of the University of Connecticut and track/cross-country runner Heather Killeen of Cal State Fullerton are among 10 finalists for the NCAA’s 1995 woman-of-the-year award. . . . The Jimmy Kim Taekwondo championship will be held at the Pyramid at Long Beach State on Saturday.

Karch Kiraly and Holly McPeak will be honored by ESPN as male and female beach volleyball players of the year Saturday at the Hermosa Beach Pier. . . . No. 4 Stanford (6-2 overall, 2-0 in the Pacific 10) the defending national champion, will play No. 19 USC (2-3, 0-2) in women’s volleyball tonight at 7 at the Lyon Center. No. 8 UCLA (5-2, 1-1) plays host to California (4-2, 2-0) at Pauley Pavilion.