Marcelinho Huertas is no longer the only one. Starting this Friday, December 5, coinciding with Aaron Doornekamp's 40th birthday, The Brazilian is no longer the only player in the Endesa League to reach the age of four decades. The Canadian, born in Napanee in 1985 and also on the staff of La Laguna Tenerife, joins Marce (42 years, 6 months and 26 days) in the oldest couple in the entire history of the ACB.
In the very select group of older players to have minutes in the ACB (only a handful have done so at the age of 40 or more), Only once had two players with up to four decades of life experience met as teammates. It was precisely in the Canary Islands, in the 23/24 season. Also with Huertas in the equation, the Brazilian was paired with the very veteran Oliver Stevic (then 40 years and 4 months old and Hertas almost 41) at the end of the campaign. With Gio Shermadini out due to a back injury, the team went to the free agent market to find an emergency replacement who ended up being the Serbian, who had played that season for Menorca in the LEB Oro. Stevic only dressed in black and gold in two games, both in the final playoff for the title in a tie that put Barcelona on the fast track (2-0). The interior played 11 minutes in the first match and just 42 seconds in the last.
They have a lot of rope left
Although it is impossible to ensure it, The Huertas-Doornekamp partnership, despite the seniority of both, looks set to be more lasting. To begin with, both have contracts until the end of this season. Furthermore, both have the complete trust of Txus Vidorreta and, most importantly, they demonstrate every day that age for them is just a number. Marcelinho is coming off the best season of his career, Movistar MVP included – the oldest in history – and Aaron is a watch. The Canadian averages 22 minutes on the court per game this season (he has participated in all eight games and only Marcelinho surpasses him in prominence), he is always one of the best in the +/- (points difference between the Canarias and their rival when he is on the court) and, most importantly: also like Marce, he seems to be made of iron and rubber at the same time. He has barely suffered any injuries during his time as aurinegro. The two are, at this moment, the only professionals in the league who are 40 or older.
Huertas, among the oldest in history
There are only three players ahead of Huertas in the ranking of historical veterans: Darryl Middleton (his last game was at 44 years, 10 months and 24 days), Albert Oliver (43 years, 11 months and 14 days) and Mike Higgins (43 years, 2 months and 16 days). Born in May 83, The point guard would rise to second place in the event of prolonging his relationship with the island entity during one more campaign. Of course, neither Middleton nor Oliver nor Higgins ever shared a locker room with a player of a similar age to their own. Chichi Creus or Andre Turner, already behind the Brazilian in the classification, did not do so either.
Some case as adversaries
On the other hand, although few, Yes, there are several precedents of matches in which two opponents with more than four decades of experience coincided on the hardwood.. Eulis Báez is the common denominator (his last campaign in ACB was 22/23 with the Real Betis shirt, saying goodbye at just over 41 years old) of all. The Dominican faced the also 'forty-somethings' Omar Cook (Zaragoza) and Rafa MartÃnez (Manresa) at the end of 21/22.
Via: The Day – The Opinion of Tenerife
