Flight Time Lang teaches some new skills. (Photo courtesy of Harlem Globetrotters)

MEDIA RELEASE

The Harlem Globetrotters will bring their world famous basketball wizardry to Kailua-Kona, in its first ever appearance in West Hawaii.

The game is 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27 at Kealakehe High School’s Waverider Gym.

The game is a part of the team’s 2014 “Fans Rule” World Tour.

Bleacher seats are priced at $30, while a limited number courtside seats are available for $80.

Tickets may be purchased at www.harlemglobetrotters.com, www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 866-777-8932.

Adding to the excitement, fans will have an opportunity to choose the rules implemented throughout the Globetrotters game.

Online voting is now open at harlemglobetotters.com/rule, where fans can choose which game-changing rules they want to see in their hometown.

The Globetrotters were the first organization in sports and entertainment to let fans vote on rules when the team introduced the concept last year.

Since the fan response was so overwhelming, the team is doing it again – but with a major twist.

The 2014 online ballot includes three never-before-seen revolutionary rules:

* Hot Hand Jersey – Both teams will have a “Hot Hand Jersey” they can pass among each other. The player who is wearing this jersey will receive double points on made baskets.

* Make or Miss – The quarter begins with only two players on the court for each team. When a team scores, a teammate may enter the game. When they miss, the player missing the shot must leave the court, leaving his or her teammates shorthanded.

* Trick Shot Challenge – Via three challenge flags per team, each coach can challenge the other team to make a trick shot. If the team makes the trick shot, they earn five points. If they miss, the other team receives five points.

With a roster showcasing stars such as Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang, Hi-Lite Bruton and Dizzy Grant – plus female stars TNT Maddox, T-Time Brawner and Sweet J Ekworomadu – the Globetrotters’ one-of-a-kind family show features mesmerizing ball handling, an assortment oftrick shots, high-flying dunks and precise timing – all with an array of comedy guaranteed to entertain the young and the young at heart.

After virtually every game, Globetrotter stars remain on the court for autographs and photographs with fans.

Globetrotters’ games in Hawaii have a rich history, as one Hawaii native recalls. The Globetrotters made an impression on a young Barack Obama.

Since that time, the Globetrotters have shot hoop with the President at The White House.

During this tour, the Globetrotters will play more than 290 games in 250 cities in 47 U.S. states, six Canadian provinces and Puerto Rico through April 2014.

Sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios, Howard Johnson Hotels, World Vision, Greyhound Lines and Baden Sports, The Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating their 88th consecutive year, continuing a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry, and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages.

Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation, the largest family-owned themed entertainment company in the U.S.

Throughout their history, the Original Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 122 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience.

Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans-among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents-over more than eight thrilling decades.

Background on Flight Time and Bull:

FLIGHT TIME LANG

* Fan favorite and active competitor on this season of “The Amazing Race” with teammate Big Easy Lofton. Watch: http://youtu.be/uU0ZztT3O_g. As of March 24, the Emmy Award-winning series is five weeks into the new season and the Globetrotters are still racing. This is their third time on the show – finishing 2nd and 4th in prior years.

* Also appeared on “Hell’s Kitchen,” “The Bachelorette,” Disney XD’s “Kickin’ It,” “The Price is Right,” “Cupcake Wars” and “Are You Smarter Than A 5thGrader?”

* Visited The White House to shoot hoops with President Obama

BULL BULLARD

* Made international headlines earlier this season when a hoop collapsed while dunking in Honduras. The video instantly went viral, including 3.5+ million YouTube views. Watch: http://youtu.be/jgEW2_lJY6E

* Made the finals of “American Ninja Warrior” in 2012. Watch: http://youtu.be/dT0v0EKIvZo?t=1m45s

* Tried out for the NFL’s New York Jets based solely on his athleticism.

* Appeared on “Man v. Food Nation,” “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition,” and “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.”

* Grew up in foster care in inner-city Detroit.

— Find out more:
http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com