A preliminary hearing Thursday for two NIU basketball players charged with the theft of a check has been continued for the second time.

The hearing for Brian Banks, 20, 356 West Neptune Residence Hall, and Antwon Harmon, 19, West Neptune, is set for Dec. 29 at 1:30 p.m. at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore.

The request for the continuance was motioned by defense attorney Howard Wertz. He would not say why he asked for the continuance.

The charges stemmed out of a March incident in which a $600 check was obtained by deception and then deposited into the Automatic Teller Machine at the Village Commons Bookstore, 901 Luncinda Ave., court records state. Subsequently, withdrawals were made against the funds, records state.