Besiktas take the lead back early in the fourth quarter, and that’s when Olympiakos go on a 12-0 run. Twelve-nil. Away from home. At a newly promoted side discovering the EuroLeague. You know what I do on the mic during a 12-0? Nothing. I let the sound system rise on its own, even though it has opinions.
But what stopped me was the 1:45 mark. Sasha Vezenkov walks back onto the court. He had spent a good part of the last quarter on the bench, after a heated exchange with his coach, Georgios Bartzokas, at the end of the third, which carried on through the break. And he comes back. To me, that’s a moment.
Here’s how I’d have done it, on a Saturday at half past eight, the two school fête spotlights trained on the touchline, the caretaker having switched off half the strip lights:
“Mesdames et messieurs, dames en heren, back in the game, number… [jingle] … returning… Sasha… Vezenkov!”
The two-second pause before the first name. The jingle cut just before the chorus. Make some noise.
And for the bench, I’d have done the same for the coach, because at my place we introduce everybody: “Coaching tonight, Georgios… Bartzokas.” Same pause, same jingle.
Because look at the script: the man gets up, he goes back on, and he finishes as his team’s top scorer, sixteen points in twenty-four minutes. And Donta Hall is player of the match. At my place, that’s two entrances in the dark, minimum.
Back in the game at 1 minute 45. It’s on the sheet. The jingle has no column.
And after the game the coach talked about 26 assists, their best total of the season, about “playing together”. Twenty-six assists is twenty-six little moments. I’d have announced them one by one, with the jingle every time. Just saying. Next up is Olimpia Milan, at home. The moment is already ready.
It’s true, we checked: BeBasket.
