The day when basketball stopped: A tragedy that changed Stark Arena / News - Basketnews.com

Everything was different - from the people selling scarves near the Arena before the game to the atmosphere during the game. Serbia was hurt. I got to experience it first-hand, and I will never forget it.

Credit: Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic; Mindaugas Bertys Credit Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic; Mindaugas Bertys

It was an ordinary Wednesday morning. The sun was just rising, slowly starting to shine through the clouds. It was that same morning when a tragedy struck, a tragedy that changed the entire country.

Player of the Game EFF 30 Walter Tavares Points 15 Accuracy 4-7 Rebounds 7 Assists 0

At around 8:40 AM local time, a 14-year-old kid entered Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade, fatally shot the security guard, and ended up killing 8 schoolchildren.

It was the first shooting of its kind in Serbian history. It was later revealed that the shooter had prepared for the attack in advance and even had a list of the kids he planned to kill.

The Minister of Education, Branko Ruzic, later announced a three-day - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - mourning period in the entire country. At the same time, there were two teams of men who had to care about playing basketball.

When I arrived at Real Madrid's practice at around 1 PM, nobody knew anything about what was going to happen. Everyone was in shock starting from the players and ending with members of the media that just gathered to do their jobs in the Stark Arena.

Initially, talks started spreading about the game even getting postponed. Nobody knew what would happen, everyone was just there to fulfill their obligations. Real Madrid didn't know Game 4's fate, Partizan didn't know Game 4's fate.

When Edy Tavares and Nigel Williams-Goss started answering questions, the first thing they wanted to talk about was the school shooting that had just happened. Tavares has a young kid who's not even one year old. Williams-Goss has a kid and another on the way. It was a tragedy that spoke to them personally.

"Before I talk about the game, I just want to send my condolences and prayers to the families affected today here in Belgrade. There was a school shooting that I was informed about before this meeting," Williams-Gosssaid. "Having a son of my own and a second one on the way, I feel for all the parents in the community that were affected by this."

Free throws this season

80%16,8Points made:16,8Accuracy:80,1%Place in standings:3Record max:31Record min:6Most made FTs:Dzanan MusaTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

When the interviews were over, the talk about the tragedy continued. While the Spanish media was mostly focused on filming the players and the open part of the practice, the entire Serbian part of the media was discussing the situation and the details that were being revealed about what transpired just 5 hours ago.

Everyone left without much of a sense of what could happen in the series.

Several hours later, I found out that there wouldn't be any songs or music played through the speakers, there wouldn't be any games for the spectators, and no other festivities around the Stark Arena, contrary to what took place in Game 3.

It was already clear that Game 4 would go on as scheduled. When Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade held their practice in the evening, only Serbian players addressed the media.

As a member of the media, I was neither Serbian nor Spanish, I was an exception. Thanks to Partizan's understanding of the situation, I got to talk with Zach LeDay. We ended up having a delightful conversation about things not only on the basketball court but more importantly - off the basketball court.

Having a warm conversation with Zach was very comforting, and I want to thank him for that.

The next day, it was revealed that fans would have the opportunity to honor the victims of the shooting near the Arena before the game. Spectators were also encouraged to bring flowers to the game itself as an opportunity to respect the memory of the children whose lives were innocently lost Wednesday morning would be provided one more time.

The feel before the game was different.

There were no games, there were no chants. The people who sold Partizan scarves and their stands were still there but not a single one of them shouted or encouraged to buy the product.

Right before 6 PM, two-and-a-half hours before the start of the game, people started slowly bringing flowers. One after another, Serbians were stockpiling flowers and lighting candles beside them. You could only shed a tear looking at it as person after person brought flowers, made the sign of the cross, said a little prayer, and slowly walked away.

The game was pushed into the background. Contrary to Game 3 when rounds of people were walking around asking for a ticket, you could see people trying to sell their tickets to the game.

People weren't packing the Arena as quickly as before Game 3. Even when they arrived, there were no chants, just a busy chatter among everyone.

Partizan had made an agreement with fan groups before the game that there would be no chants during the first half of the game. It applied to pre-game as well. For the first time ever, the famous Partizan anthem - 'Da Volim Crno-Bele' - was not sung before the match.

When Real Madrid players ran onto the court with about 30 minutes remaining until the start of the match, the sound was unique. During Game 3, it was absolutely deafening for about a minute. This time, fans didn't stop shouting and whistling for even a second, continuing to do so for more than five minutes until Partizan players showed up.

When Zeljko Obradovic came in, he slowly walked to his bench and applauded the fans, nothing compared to his emotional outburst before Game 3.

Minutes before the presentation of both teams, Real Madrid players undressed their practice attire to reveal shirts with the name of the Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School written on them in solidarity with the victims.

Partizan wore special uniforms that had just the name of the school at the front. No sponsor logos, just the name of the player and the word Belgrade on the back of the shirt.

When the starting fives arrived in the middle of the court, a moment of silence was observed to remember the victims of the shooting. When it was over, fans started throwing flowers onto the court in remembrance of the children who were killed.

I had an agreement to film the action as it was happening. My hands were shaking, I shed several tears in the process. Had to put my glasses down after it was over to wipe away the tears to look more normal. But nothing was normal.

Partizan players were visibly shaken and lost in emotion at the beginning of the game. You could see several of them shedding a tear when the flowers and teddy bears were thrown onto the court.

"It was grim in the beginning. You could see that people wanted to give their support but I think we did a great job showing respect to the victims and the families that were affected by this tragedy," Danilo Andjusic told me after the game.

Twenty thousand people wanted a win that day, a win that would've distracted them from what had just happened in the city and country they love. It would've helped celebrate life. It wasn't meant to be.

Just the morning after, a mass murder was committed in the villages around Smederevo and Mladenovac, devastating the already-shaken country once again.

For me, it was a basketball trip like no other. I will not forget these two days - Wednesday and Thursday - for the rest of my life. The country of Serbia will remember them as well.

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