On a Saturday night at JQH Arena in January 2020, the lights turned off and everyone's flashlights went on.
The time had come for one of the great traditions in Ozarks sports.
Europe's "Final Countdown" blared over the speakers to the roar of thousands of fans as a national television audience tuned in to watch the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions championship game while at the same time recognizing how much southwest Missouri loves basketball.
Two months later, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus and shut down the NBA and everything seemingly followed.