PHOENIX - The Harlem Globetrotters have signed former Bulldog John Williams as part of its 10-person rookie class for their upcoming tour.

"The Globetrotters are excited to welcome a new generation of stars to carry on the storied tradition of the world's most entertaining basketball team," said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. "This year's rookie class features some of the most talented and promising players from across the world."

He will be known as John "Jet" Williams when he takes to the floor with the Globetrotters this year.

The senior from Raleigh graduated this past spring after enjoying an outstanding Bulldog career. He finished his career as the school's all-time leader in blocked shots with 255. In addition, Williams completed his career as the program's 20th all-time leading scorer with 1,171 points. The Raleigh native pulled down 684 rebounds, placing him sixth all-time at Asheville in that category. John is one of just three players in the history of the Big South Conference to score more than 1,000 points, grab more than 600 rebounds and block more than 200 shots.

This past season despite a facial injury that caused him to miss seven games in late November and most of December, Williams finished the year as Asheville's leader in blocked shots with 46. He averaged 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. John enjoyed a spectacular Big South Conference Tournament as he led the Bulldogs to the tournament championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament. In the title game victory over Coastal Carolina, Williams set a tournament record with six blocked shots, including two in the final two minutes to help seal the 60-47 win. He earned a spot on the Big South All-Tournament team for his play. One of his blocked shots against High Point in the semifinals of the tournament earned him a spot on ESPN's Top 10 Plays.

He was invited to compete in the State Farm Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships in Houston, Texas, the site of the 2011 Final Four, last March. Williams finished second in the competition, despite being the only competitor to make all four of his dunks.

With BG Goettingen deep in the Beko BBL cellar, the team need all the help that they can get and signed Americans Jerel Allen (193-G/F-85, college: Florida St.) and Matt Bauscher (188-G-85, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement, college: Boise St.). They had been practicing with the team the last week and were able to convince management of their services. Allen is a 26 year old 193cm shooting guard/small forward that is a versatile high energy explosive player capable of playing either guard position or a wing forward. He is a slashing player who can put the ball on the floor and finish strongly or knockdown the perimeter shot with good range. He is a strong rebounder who is especially dangerous on offensive rebounds because of his explosive leaping ability. He is an unselfish player and a good passer who will find the open player. He is a lock-down defender who can match-up with the opposing teams best player. He played at Florida State from 2005-2007. In 2007-2008, he played for In Nov.'07 signed at Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania-LKL, starting five): Baltic League: 12 games: 8.8ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.0apg, 0.9spg, 2FGP: 32.4%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 61.5%; Lithuanian League: 17 games: 11.5ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.2apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 51.4%, FT: 83.8%, 3PT: 30.2%. In 2008-2009, he played for SK Dnipro Azot Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine-UBL, starting five): 38 games: 15.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.4apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 40.8%, 3PT: 38.1%, FT: 45.7%. In 2009-2010, he played for Kryvbasbasket-Lux Kryvyi Rih (Ukraine-Superleague), released in May.'10 : 23 games: 8.8ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.1apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 43.4%, 3PT: 31.9%, FT: 73.3%. Last season, he played for Rockingham Flames (Australia-SBL, starting five): 21games: 21.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.1apg, FG: 41.7%. Awards/Achievements in his career have been NJCAA All-American -05, NIT Elite Eight -07, Lithuanian Cup Semifinals -08Ukrainian UBL Cup Semifinals -09, Eurobasket.com All-Ukrainian UBL Forward of the Year -09, Eurobasket.com All-Ukrainian UBL 1st Team -09, and Eurobasket.com Ukrainian UBL All-Imports Team -09

Matt Bauscher (188-G-85, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement, college: Boise St.) is a 26 year old 18cm guard from Caldwell, Idaho. He played at Boise St. (NCAA) from 2005-2008. In 2008-2009, he played for Aris Friesland Leeuwarden (Holland-Eredivisie, starting five): 37 games: Score-1 (22.2ppg), 3.9rpg, Assists-1 (5.9apg), Steals-5 (2.4spg), FGP: 59.7%, 3PT: 37.4%, FT: 67.0%. The last two seasons, he played for : GasTerra Flames Groningen (Holland-DBL) an dlast season played EuroCup: 6 games: 6.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 4.5apg, 1.5spg, FGP: 37.8%, 3PT: 18.8%, FT: 50.0%; Euroleague Qualifying Round: 2 games: 6.5ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.5apg, 1.5spg; Dutch League: 51 games: 11.3ppg, 3.3rpg, Assists-2 (4.7apg), 1.7spg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 55.9%. Awards/Achievements in his basketball career have been, WAC Tournament Semifinals -07, WAC All-Defensive Team -08, WAC All-Tournament Team -08, WAC Tournament Winner -08, WAC Regular Season Champion -08, Dutch Eredivisie All-Star Game -09, 10, Eurobasket.com All-Dutch Eredivisie 1st Team -09, 10Eurobasket.com Dutch Eredivisie All-Imports Team -09, 10, Dutch Eredivisie Regular Season Champion -10, Dutch Eredivisie Champion -10, Dutch Cup Semifinals -10Eurobasket.com All-Dutch Eredivisie Player of the Year -10, Eurobasket.com All-Dutch Eredivisie Guard of the Year -10, Eurobasket.com All-Dutch Eredivisie Import Player of the Year -10, Eurobasket.com Dutch Eredivisie All-Defensive Team -10, Eurobasket.com All-Dutch Eredivisie 2nd Team -11, Dutch Eredivisie Regular Season Runner-Up -11 and Dutch Eredivisie Finalist -11.

Source BG Goettingen

The Denver Broncos have signed safety Rafael Bush off of the Atlanta Falcons practice squad, the Denver Post is reporting.

Bush is a 5'11" 200 pound safety out of South Carolina State who was originally signed by the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2010.

At South Carolina State, Bush was a dominant player who was simply more gifted athletically than mostly everyone else on the field, and his numbers reflect that.

Bush will take over the roster spot that was vacated by Brandon Lloyd earlier on Monday, and will likely see action on special teams if he is activated against the Dolphins.

From what you can see on his college highlight tapes, Bush is an undersized but aggressive safety prospect who plays bigger than his size and is not afraid to hit somebody. He has good tackling form in almost all of the reels I watched, and he is a pretty good athlete.

At his pro day in 2010, he timed at 4.47 in the 40 yard dash and had a 37 inch vertical.

The Armor brass (meaning the Nets brass) gathered in Springfield Friday evening for the D-League Draft and used their first pick to take Johnny Thomas, a 6'6" shooting guard who graduated in three years from North Carolina State, then played a year at Marshall while pursuing a masters degree in sports management.

Thomas averaged 9.1 ppg for N.C. State in his last year in Raleigh, then 9.1 again for Marshall last season Described as a "character guy". Strong and athletic, Thomas is defensively oriented.

Then, in a surprise, the Armor took 6'10" Brooklyn native (and former Warrior) Chris Taft after grabbing similarly sized Dennis Horner, a teammate of Thomas at N.C. State. Taft, 26, hasn't played professionally since a stop with the D-League's Rio Grande Valley in early 2008. His NBA career had been troubled by back problems.

In later rounds, the Armor went for 6'7" forward Brandon Bush, who last played in Iceland and 5'9" guard Marcus Hill, who played in Mexico this summer after four years at Minnesota State. Michael Sturns, a 6'5" guard played for Tulsa (as well as in Japan. Finally, the Armor took Akeem Bennett, who played for St. Francis of Brooklyn.

The Armor will fill out the roster with four players from their local tryout: 6'6" forward David Akinyooye from Adelphi, 6'2" guard Travis Cohn from Jacksonville, 6'8" forward Alejo Rodriguez of Iona and 7'0" center James Smith, a veteran D-League player.

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WILLISTON -- As the NFL lockout nears what football fans hope is its conclusion, it's a good chance to look back and see what some players did with the idle time.

Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco tried his hand at playing professional soccer, bull riding and auto racing. His teammates, Adam "Pacman" Jones and Cedric Benson continued getting in trouble with the law and Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow - about to enter his second season - wrote an autobiography. For the most part, it seemed the majority of NFL players relaxed during the extra time off.

One player who hasn't been just sitting around, waiting for the lockout to end is Rafael Bush. After spending most of his rookie season on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad, Bush has been working diligently during the lockout on being in the best shape possible.

He's been working out, to stay in the top physical form required of an NFL defensive back. The safety has also been keeping his mind sharp, going over the ins and outs of the Falcons' defensive scheme as best as he can without a playbook for this season.

Bush took a break from working on his craft to share his love of football with the community he came from. On Monday and Tuesday, Bush held a football camp for kids at Williston-Elko High School, where he starred on the gridiron for the Blue Devils.

The camp, focusing on beginning fundamentals, was free of charge. It drew nearly twice the amount of participants than Bush's agent Brian Anderson expected. Judging by the smiles on the faces of the youngsters in attendance, they enjoyed themselves as much as Bush did.

"It's big and exciting," Bush said Tuesday. "It turned out well. I'm excited and proud of it. ... I was happy to have something to offer for the kids in the area."

Bush said the camp was limited to two days because he didn't know what his availability would be with the uncertainty of the lockout. In the time he had, Bush said he tried to introduce as much football as he could to the youngsters.

"We took them through quarterback drills and running back, all the positions," Bush explained of the camp which drew more than 100 kids for each session. "We worked on fundamental drills and gave them a blueprint of all the positions, because I know what it's like to play lots of different positions growing up. I went from an offensive tackle to a running back to safety where I am now."

Where Bush currently is in his professional career is better than his position at this time last year. He was an undrafted free agent with a chance to prove himself at training camp with the Falcons. He was impressive enough to be one of the team's last cuts, and was quickly re-signed to play for Atlanta's practice squad.

Week after week of helping his teammates prepare to play Sunday, Bush grew more comfortable with the pro game. He wanted to dress out for games but understood he had to work his way to that point. He said he never got down about the wait because in that time, he learned what it takes - physically and mentally - to play at the highest level.

"At first it was overwhelming, playing with guys you see on TV," Bush said. "But being on the practice squad helped out. It gave me the chance to learn and slowed the game down. I was able to play to my abilities."

At the end of the season, Bush was added to the Falcons' active roster and suited up for their regular-season finale against the Carolina Panthers. He didn't see any playing time, but he did two weeks later when the Falcons hosted the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. Bush described that as a pretty big first game, taking the field in a playoff atmosphere against the eventual Super Bowl champions.

"It opened my eyes more," Bush said. "I stayed confident and was able to do my job and do what I was told. Now, I want to pick up where I left off and continue to get better. I'm preparing myself for a long season."

After being activated at the end of the season, Bush signed a two-year contract with the Falcons. When the lockout end and camp begins, Bush will return as part of the core of Atlanta's defensive backfield and he said he's ready to hit the ground running.

Without contact from his coaches, Bush doesn't know for certain what his role will be, although he thinks it should be bigger than last year. He said he'll continue with the same approach he had last year, when he was willing to do anything to help the team win. The confidence he gained from last season has likely grown during the offseason,

Especially during the draft. That's because the falcons had the chance to draft a number of defensive backs and didn't.

"That speaks volumes for what the coaches thought of us," Bush said of Atlanta's secondary. "We're young, but we've come a long way in maturity. It's more motivation to be ready when your number is called."

The Falcons did make a big splash at the draft, by trading up to get Alabama star receiver Julio Jones. The deal that cost Atlanta five draft picks certainly got Bush's attention.

"It was a bold move," he said. "Julio is a great asset. He's big, strong and physical and I'm excited to see this pans out."

While Bush didn't want to get too specific looking forward, there was one thing he had his mind on doing in the future. That is holding more football camps at Williston-Elko for years to come.

"It made my heart feel well to see all the smiles on these faces," Bush said of the camp he hopes to stretch to a week long next year. "It felt real good, real successful. ... I want to try to do this annually."

Noah Feit is a reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been a professional journalist for more than a decade.

It was the catlike reflexes of ACC Player of the Year Nolan Smith and the incredible ups of UNC Asheville star John Williams that got the crowd on its feet Saturday night during the 19th annual Crossfire Ministries ACC All-Star game at A.C. Reynolds High.

Smith gave the crowd a treat with the speed and quickness he is known for across the country, ending the night with 40 points as his ACC All-Stars fell to the Crossfire in a nail biter that went down to the end, 116-113.

Williams was voted the game's MVP, as he finished with 28 points, six rebounds and four assists. At least five times throughout the showdown, he fancied onlookers with a variety of dunks — and made it look effortless all the while.

"I thought John played outstanding. He really went to the basket, had a lot of dunks, shot the 3 well, played good defense," said Randy Shepherd, Crossfire Ministries co-founder. "I think he was the key to our win, and that's why he got MVP."

Williams also won the dunk contest in the post-game after fans watched he and co-Crossfire teammate, former Clemson player Jerai Grant, serve up three dunks each. In Williams' final effort, he simulated Blake Griffin as he dunked, then hung on the rim by his elbow.

Crossfire led 58-49 at the half, and when the ACC All-Stars came back out on the court for the final 20 minutes of play, their faces showed a foreshadowing of a comeback. Smith got the fire going and soon the All-Stars were back on top, 78-74.

But Crossfire didn't give up. Thanks in part to three 3s by Joe Barber in the third quarter alone, they stayed with the All-Stars.

Wake Forest's Gary Clark ran down with 10 seconds to go and sank a 3 to put the ACC behind by one, 114-113. But the All-Stars fouled to stop the clock, and Crossfire's Tim Lewis made both his free throws just before Smith missed a last-second effort with a 3, to close out the game.

"The game was awesome; it was great that it went down to the wire like that," Shepherd said.

Shepherd said he was thankful for the turnout and that people got to see great athletes perform so close to home, but mostly the response he saw when he gave the invitation for the packed crowd to commit to God.

"At halftime there were a lot of decisions for the Lord. I think people got an excellent display of talent from the ACC as well as local talent. I thank the Lord for these blessings tonight, and I thank folks for coming out."

Other big scorers for the Crossfire included Jerai Grant, with 19 points and seven rebounds, Barber with 18 points, including four 3-pointers, Lewis with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists and Willie Battle with 11 points and four assists.

For the All-Stars, Kyle Singler had 26 points, including five 3s, and five rebounds, Clark had 18 points and Demontez Stitt had 14 points.

Smith is from Aiken, SC.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Chandler is from Kingstree SC and graduated in May of 2010 with a degree in Accounting.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Smith is from Aiken, SC.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Walls is from Charlotte NC.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Turner is from Lawrenceville GA.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Also brought back by Atlanta were tight end Robbie Agnone, wide receiver Tim Buckley, running back Dimitri Nance, wide receiver Andy Strickland, tackle Jose Valdez, safety Rafael Bush, defensive end Emmanuel Stephens and linebacker Bear Woods.

Practice squad players practice alongside regular roster players during the week, but they are not allowed to play in actual games. They can be paid considerably less than active squad players: The minimum salary from 2008 to 2010 is $5,200 per week (2008-2010) for 17 weeks, or $88,400 per season, in comparison to the NFL minimum rookie salary of $285,000.

Ford is from Travelers Rest, SC.

Ford has recently switched agents and is now represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Rafael Bush accumulated many significant accolades throughout his career, including: 2007 Bulldog Most Valuable New Comer, 2008 Bulldog Best Safety Award, 2009 Bulldog Defensive Team MVP, and the 2010 South Carolina State All Decade Team.

Bush is from Williston SC and will graduate this May with a major in Sports Communication.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Chandler is from Kingstree SC and graduated in May of 2010 with a degree in Accounting.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Walls graduated from North Carolina A&T in 2008. He currently resides in Charlotte NC and is a graduate of East Mecklenburg High School.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Cuthbertson is from Charlotte NC and finished his college career in 2008. He attended Harding High School where he rushed for over 2,400 yards and 27 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

Prior to his Senior Season, Scott was tagged as the FCS Independent Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by Lindy's 2009 College Football Preview Magazine. Additionally, he was named Offensive MVP of his team following his Sophomore and Junior Seasons.

Scott is from Charlotte NC and graduated in December of 2009 with a degree in Business Management.

He is represented by ARN Sports and Entertainment's Brian Anderson, based out of Charlotte, NC.

ORANGEBURG, SC – Seniors dominated the South Carolina State football awards presented Monday (Feb. 8) during the Orangeburg Touchdown Club's annual banquet, which also recognized an All-State Football Team and had University of South Carolina associate head coach and defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson as guest speaker at The Cinema.

Eleven of the Bulldog superlative awards were claimed by seniors. Earning offensive accolades were Will Ford, as the top offensive back; Terrance Smith as the outstanding receiver and Oliver (Tre') Young as the offensive MVP. Also honored were junior Johnny Culbreath as the top lineman and sophomore Chris Massey as the top newcomer.

Seniors earning defensive awards were Rafael Bush as the defensive MVP, Marcus James as the top defensive end; Markee Hamlin as the top safety and Phillip Adams as the top cornerback. Also receiving defensive accolades were sophomore Ronell Ferguson as the top defensive tackle and junior Julius Wilkerson as the top linebacker.

Ford completed his Bulldog career as the Bulldog and MEAC rushing leading with 4,672 yards. Twice, he earned All-America honors and was a finalist for the prestigious Walter Payton award, presented annually to the best offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. He rushed for 1,032 yards and eight touchdowns in 2009.

Young led SC State and the MEAC in rushing with 65 catches for 995 yards and nine scores; Culbreath was the MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year and earned All-America honors; Terrance Smith was second on the team in catches with 40 for 542 yards and four touchdowns; and Massey, inserted at wide receiver late in the season, had 11 catches for 108 yards and a score and also contributed on special teams.

Defensively, Bush, Hamlin and Adams were second, third and fourth, respectively, in tackles for the Bulldogs and combined for eight touchdowns, four of which were returned for touchdowns. Adams and Bush earned All-MEAC honors, while Wilkerson was second only to linebacker David Erby – an SBNAll-American -- in tackles with 66 and tied for the lead in tackles for loss with eight, while James was one of the top performers on the Bulldog defensive line and earned second-team All-MEAC recognition.

Pough and his staff also recognized the SC State seniors and presented game balls to an offensive and defensive player for each of the Bulldogs' 10 victories.

Seven Bulldogs were among the 26 players named to the All-State team as selected by the Orangeburg Touchdown Club. SC State earning the recognition was quarterback Malcolm Long, Ford at running back, Young at wide receiver, and Culbreath on the offensive line and place kicker Blake Erickson on offense. The defense included Erby at linebacker and Adams at defensive back.

The Bulldogs' Pough and retired SC State head football coach Willie Jeffries received special recognition awards by the Touchdown Club, as did Times and Democrat publisher Cathy Hughes, all founders of the club eight years ago.

The entire list of Bulldogs receiving superlative awards is below:

Outstanding Offensive Back: Will Ford, Sr., Travelers Rest, SC

Outstanding Cornerback: Phillip Adams, Sr., Rock Hill, SC

Outstanding Safety: Markee Hamlin, Sr., Lamar, SC

Outstanding Receiver: Terrance Smith, Sr., Aiken, SC

Best Offensive Lineman: Johnny Culbreath,, Jr., Monroe, GA

Outstanding Defensive Tackle: Ronell Ferguson, Soph., Lincolnton, GA, Sr.,

Outstanding Defensive End: Markus James, Sr., Hampton, VA

Outstanding Linebacker: Julius Wilkerson, Jr., Gaffney, SC

Top Newcomer: RB/WR Chris Massey, Soph., Cheraw,SC

Offensive MVP: WR Oliver (Tre') Young, Sr., Charleston, SC

Defensive MVP: S Rafael Bush, Sr., Williston, SC

According to Hicks' agent, Brian Anderson, the UT Martin player will be added to the West roster to replace an injured player.

Hicks was a 2009 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference selection. He saw action in 10 games and had 46 receptions for 599 yards and four touchdowns this season. He set a new UT Martin single season record for the most touchdown receptions (12) in 2008, and he is second with 894 receiving yards in one season.

Hicks, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., transferred to UT Martin from Ole Miss for his junior season. He played in 22 career games for the Skyhawks and scored 16 touchdowns.

"This will be a great opportunity for Mike and UT Martin," Simpson said. "The NFL scouts will have a chance to see Mike play and UT Martin will get a lot of positive exposure from the game."

The East-West Shrine Game is the oldest and one of the most respected of the post-season collegiate bowl games. Since 1925, the game has been known for the quality of the players and coaches, as well as for the excitement of great college football action.

But that's not what makes it "Football's Finest Hour." What makes the East-West Game so special is its true purpose — helping to support Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Every year since 1925, the East-West Game has been played to raise funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children and to raise awareness about the expert orthopedic, burn, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, and cleft lip and palate care, available at no charge to patients and families, through the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The players themselves regard the game in a special light, as they learn the true purpose of the game during a pre-game visit to the Shriners Hospital in Tampa, Fla.

Hicks is the fourth player since 2006 to play in a postseason all-star (bowl) game.