Six former Texas A&M; basketball players say...

Six former Texas A&M; basketball players say a former assistant coach dispensed thousands of dollars in cash and airline tickets to Aggie players and recruits in apparent violation of National Collegiate Athletic Assn. rules, the Dallas Times Herald reported in today’s editions.

In a copyright story, the Times Herald quoted the six recent players as saying John Widdicombe, an A&M; assistant coach from 1983 to 1985, regularly gave cash to A&M; players and arranged for them to receive prepaid airline tickets.

The six ex-players said they received cash from Widdicombe in amounts ranging from $25 to $1,000 while they were attending A&M; or being recruited by the school.

Three of the former players said they were promised clothes, televisions or stereos by Widdicombe, but when they arrived at the school, he did not follow through on the promises.

Widdicombe, now living in Beacon, N.Y., denied the players’ allegations, the newspaper said. The Times Herald said Coach Shelby Metcalf, assistant coach John Thornton and Athletic Director Jackie Sherrill did not return repeated phone calls to their homes and offices.