Photos and story by Monty Siekerman
Here, they are folks, giants in their fields:

• Tommy Laswordfish
• Kevin Duranteater
• Shaquille O'Seal

They (and one other who happened to eat a coach later) were on hand at halftime of the ONU men's basketball game on Wednesday evening at King-Horn.

Not a basketball shot scored, but the halftime entertainment scored many smiles from the spectators.

The giant inflatable characters danced, tumbled, then went into the audience with their antics.

The ZOOperstars are from Louisville, Ky. They put on 200 shows a year for all kinds of sporting events and business conventions. In all, they have 45 characters available to show a crowd a good time.

Now for the sad/hilarious part.

At the first timeout after the second half began, Mackerel Jordan appears...and he's hungry.

He spots one of the Heidelberg assistant coaches, goes over to the bench, and devours him.

After he disappears, head first, into the giant fish, the coach's clothes are tossed out of Mackerel's mouth, one piece at a time.

Within a couple of minutes, the fish vomits up the coach, who runs from the gym floor in his boxers. Then, the real basketball game resumes.

Serious business is now at hand. ONU built up a commanding lead in the first half. Then, Heidelberg put on a full court press. The pressured Bears saw their lead dwindle throughout the second half.

As the buzzer sounded, Heidelberg attempted a three point play that would have tied the game, sending it into overtime. The shot narrowly missed, going in and out of the basket, making the Bears the winners 77 to 74 in an exciting ending.

Northern is now 7-8, Heidelberg 6-9 in the OAC.

Let's go fishing, but stay away from mackerel.

(In the photo with Shaquille O'Seal is EJ Jones)