Enquirer news services

WACO, Texas - An attorney for the roommate of missing Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy said Thursday that the suspicion swirling about his client and even the idea that Dennehy was shot are based on speculation.

"I know of no shooting that took place at all," attorney Grady Irvin Jr. said. "I think there's only a rumor that perhaps Mr. Dennehy has been shot. They don't even know if that's accurate."

Dennehy, 21, was last heard from almost three weeks ago. His sport utility vehicle was later found abandoned without its license plates last week in a Virginia parking lot.

No charges have been filed in his disappearance; however authorities have described Dennehy's roommate and former teammate Carlton Dotson as a "person of interest." A search warrant affidavit made public Monday said an unnamed informant told investigators Dotson told a cousin he shot Dennehy with a handgun while the two played with firearms near Waco.Dennehy was reported missing by his family June 19, about a week after he was last seen.

Dennehy's girlfriend, Jessica De La Rosa, said she didn't think he and Dotson had a falling out. She last talked to Dennehy on June 11, and a few days later she called Dotson to try to find her boyfriend.

"They were friendly teammates and recently had become closer as friends," said De La Rosa.

Authorities returned to a 50-acre property northeast of campus Thursday with thermal imaging equipment, once again looking for Dennehy's body.

"We just want to make sure we haven't missed anything," Waco police spokesman Steve Anderson said. He later said the aerial search turned up nothing.

NHL

AVALANCHE: The Colorado Avalanche signed All-Stars Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne to one-year contracts, reuniting the former Anaheim Mighty Ducks linemates.

Kariya will make $1.2 million, a substantial pay cut from his $10 million salary last season. Selanne also took less money to join the Avalanche, signing for $5.8 million after making $6.5 million last season.

Kariya and Selanne were teammates in Anaheim for parts of six seasons before Selanne was traded to the San Jose Sharks in March 2001.

RED WINGS: Former Dallas Stars captain Derian Hatcher signed a five-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings Thursday, bolstering a blue line that already features future Hall of Famers Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios.

News of the expected signing came a day after it was announced that Detroit would part with its own star, forward Sergei Fedorov.

Soccer

The Cincinnati Riverhawks started their four-game road trip with a 3-1 win against the Indiana Blast Wednesday. This meeting was the sixth and final between the two teams this season. Cincinnati won the season series 5-1 despite being out-shot 17-11.

The win moves Cincinnati into second place in the Central Division behind the Minnesota Thunder

The Riverhawks' road trip continues when they travel to El Paso for two weekend matches against the Patriots.

College basketball

MIAMI UNIVERSITY: Brian Bales has been named Miami University-Middletown men's basketball coach, replacing Eric Thomas. Thomas recently was named coach at Cincinnati State.

Bales was a standout basketball and football player at Franklin High School. He was an assistant boys basketball coach at Miamisburg High School the past two years.