Smiles and laughter were abound yesterday at the Bryce Jordan Center where the Harlem Globetrotters showcased their amazing tricks and quirky sense of humor.

The show started before the entire audience had even been seated as the announcer, the Globetrotter Harlem Hot Boys, and the Globetrotter's mascot, Globie, came on to entertain early arrivals.

Everyone got into the spirit of fun, especially the sea of kids who seemed to be having the time of their lives, in fact the little boy next to me had trouble staying in his seat, jumping up in excitement every minute.

After the rest of the audience had filed in, the opposing team, the New York Nationals, were introduced -- all of whom are ex-collegiate basketball players. Then the lights went down, and a disco ball placed in the center of the court showered the audience with twinkling light. To a thunderous applause the Harlem Globetrotters took the court. Each player, towering above 6 feet tall and sporting nicknames such as "Sweet Pea," "Special K" and "High Rise," stepped forward as he was introduced.

The game started strong with the Globetrotters scoring right away. However, the Nationals kept them in check scoring a few points of their own.

The Globetrotters played like no other basketball team I have ever seen, doing tricks and stunts all while scoring points. They tossed the ball to the referee a few times and even taped up the announcer's mouth when he tried to call a foul.

However, the real entertainment came from number 21, Kevin Daley, nicknamed "Special K." With a microphone clipped to his jersey he kept the audience laughing throughout the whole first quarter with his wit and quick sarcasm. At one point he even sat on the lap of a woman in the audience to enjoy the game in a more "comfortable spot."

While the Globetrotters were great, it was all about how they involved the audience. People were pulled from the audience to perform karaoke, the Globetrotter mascot chose an elderly woman out of the audience to dance with him, until the announcer reprimanded him because the woman was married. One woman's purse was nabbed by Special K himself, who quickly handed it off to another player and then made fun of him for sporting a purse.

The Globetrotters also spent a lot of time talking about their affiliation with Campbell's Soup and the charities they support. They brought audience members out on to the court to shoot baskets for Campbell's soup labels, which are used to give money to schools. However, this slowed the fast-paced entertainment down at times.

All kinds of music kept the energy upbeat, including songs from Michael Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Usher and of course, the Globetrotters' theme song, "Sweet Georgia Brown."

The audience clapped and danced along throughout the whole performance. When things slowed down and kids could be seen squirming in their seats, the Globetrotters made sure to keep the spirit and the fun alive.

Giggling resounded from every side of the court and even grandparents stood up to help the players perform a rendition of the YMCA.

The Globetrotters won the game 77 to 36, but by then no one cared about the score as they rushed the court for autographs and greetings from their favorite players.