web1_TTL030316hologram.senior.jpg

Kyle Hologram’s senior project benefits Wounded Warriors

web1_gutterpro.jpg

Eating crickets is just one of many things you can do at the Northeast PA Home Showcase

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Two years ago, Mike Gombita saw the Harlem Globetrotters play for the first time. He enjoyed it so much he bought a Globetrotters-branded basketball as a souvenir.</p><p>Gombita, of Equinunk, now a sophomore at Misericordia University, will attend another Globetrotters game March 5 at Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s Mohegan Sun Arena, but this time he won&#8217;t watch the 90-year-old franchise from the stands &#8212; this time he&#8217;ll suit up to play with the team.</p><p>In June, the Globetrotters announced the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al-zQTdsUJE" target="_blank">Globies Draft Contest</a>, which invited fans to submit a video for a chance to play a game with the team on its 2016 North American tour. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/4Sase7lFKa/" target="_blank">Gombita&#8217;s entry</a> was one of more than 300 videos the Globetrotters received. It was one of the final eight chosen by the team and later posted online for fan voting. Gombita&#8217;s video, which showcased his ball-spinning skills and behind-the-back half court shot, made it through to the final round and was declared the winner.</p><p>&#8220;I started doing my signature behind-the-back half court shot in the winter of 2014,&#8221; Gombita said. &#8220;It was more luck-based; I didn&#8217;t have a set secret, it was just if it went in, it went in. Before that, I was able to spin the ball on my finger, but then I developed tricks, so I was going between my arms, behind my leg, behind my back.&#8221;</p><p>Harlem Globetrotter Wun &#8220;The Shot&#8221; Versher, who joined the team 21 years ago after he graduated from Arizona State University, met Gombita recently on the basketball court of Misericordia University&#8217;s Anderson Center. The two were set to suit up together as Globetrotters a little over a week later, but that didn&#8217;t stop them from a little friendly competition.</p><p>Gombita used the aforementioned tricks he developed to go move-for-more with Versher during some stylish passing drills. When it came time for trick shooting, Gombita opted for a sit-down three-pointer while Versher took a two-point shot bent over, balancing the ball on the back of his neck. The veteran Globetrotter was impressed with Gombita&#8217;s skill set, including the behind-the-back half court shot he made.</p><p>&#8220;Some of the rookies who come into the program don&#8217;t have the skills that he has now, so he&#8217;s got us beat on that aspect,&#8221; Versher said. &#8220;He&#8217;s doing Globetrotter stuff out there already and it&#8217;s impressive; my hat&#8217;s off to him. I&#8217;m looking forward to playing with him, seeing how he reacts out there when you have 5,000 or 6,000 people cheering you on. He has the talent behind him and he&#8217;ll do well.&#8221;</p><p>The talent Versher spoke of stems from a life spent around basketball. Gombita started playing the game in fifth grade at Damascus Area School in Wayne County; he used to watch the &#8217;90s Chicago Bulls with his father, Michael, but required a little parental encouragement to get on the court himself. Gombita played through the end of his high school career, then decided to retire from the game and focus on his collegiate studies. He remains close to the court as a volunteer coach at Damascus but is excited for the opportunity to hit the hardwood as part of a team again.</p><p>&#8220;I haven&#8217;t played in an organized game in two years,&#8221; Gombita said. &#8220;I think every athlete, they&#8217;d be willing to be on the court one more time. To have that opportunity to be on the court, I think that&#8217;s an event itself. That&#8217;s fantastic.&#8221;</p><p>Gombita will wear number 14 when he suits up for his Globetrotters debut. He&#8217;s not sure why he first took a liking to the number, but he&#8217;s used it since middle school. He said he plans to preserve the jersey in a frame, but Versher&#8217;s comments begged the question: will that jersey stay in its frame, or does Mike Gombita have a future with the Harlem Globetrotters?</p><p>&#8220;I hope to finish an education in communications, but opportunities are opportunities,&#8221; Gombita said. &#8220;I always find myself that if you are out there, you manage to get a lot of connections &#8212; that&#8217;s how you end up getting a job or getting opportunities to get somewhere.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mike Gombita kids with Globetrotter Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher at Misericordia University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mike Gombita kids with Globetrotter Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher at Misericordia University. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mike Gombita and Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher spin basketballs at Misericordia University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Mike Gombita and Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher spin basketballs at Misericordia University. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mike Gombita and Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher play basketball at Misericordia University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Mike Gombita and Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher play basketball at Misericordia University. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher meets with Mike Gombita at Misericordia University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030416globetrotters4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Wun &#8216;The Shot&#8217; Versher meets with Mike Gombita at Misericordia University. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Globetrotters scheduled to play at Mohegan Sun Arena March 5</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Gene Axton</p><p>gaxton@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>IF YOU GO</p><p>What: At 2 p.m., Misericordia University student and Harlem Globetrotters Draft Contest winner Mike Gombita makes his Globetrotters debut. At 7 p.m., the Globetrotters play a second game.</p><p>Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, 255 Highland Park Boulevard,Wilkes-Barre Township</p><p>When: Saturday, March 5</p><p>How Much: Tickets are still available for both games and range from $15 to $105. Visit Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or visit the Mohegan Sun Arena box office between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Gene Axton at 570-991-6121 or on Twitter @TLArts</p></shirttailMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><videoMeta><p><table style="border:none;width:98%;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoID:</td><td id="videoid" style="width:50em;font-size:90%;"> 5rG4DQIzoaQ</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoType:</td><td id="videotype" style="font-size:90%;">YOUTUBE</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">URL:</td><td id="url" style="font-size:90%;"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rG4DQIzoaQ</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Embed String:</td><td id="videoembedstring" style="font-size:90%;"> &lt;iframe width=&#8221;560&#8221; height=&#8221;315&#8221; src=&#8221;https://www.youtube.com/embed/5rG4DQIzoaQ&#8221; frameborder=&#8221;0&#8221; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Caption:</td><td id="videocaption" style="font-size:90%;"> Harlem Globetrotter at Misericordia University</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Credit:</td><td id="videocredit" style="font-size:90%;"> Aimee Dilger</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Position:</td><td id="videoposition" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="margin-top:10px;font-size:70%;color:#555;">(use the &#8220;for files&#8230;&#8221; link above to associate attached files with this source)</p></videoMeta></div>

Misericordia student making Harlem Globetrotters debut March 5 at Wilkes-Barre’s Mohegan Sun Arena