Orem » Bryon Russell and the Utah Flash carried out a thoroughly scripted hoax Monday night to the disappointment of a McKay Event Center crowd that was on the verge of believing that Russell, the former Utah Jazz forward, and Michael Jordan were about to stage a one-on-one contest during halftime of an NBA Development League game.

Russell left his courtside seat and went to the locker room early in the second quarter. At halftime, he walked onto the court in a darkened arena and greeted the crowd, saying, "I'm ready to play."

Moments later, bodyguards surrounding a Jordan impersonator walked in, and Russell said, "This is embarrassing right now." Even after the impostor left the court and the lights were turned on, the fans awaited the real Jordan until the in-house announcer finally acknowledged Jordan was not in the building.

The promotion stemmed from Jordan's Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech in September, when he took shots at Russell -- having made the title-winning basket over him in the 1998 NBA Finals -- and many other figures throughout his career. Flash owner Brandt Andersen conceived of the one-on-one matchup for the team's home opener, offering $100,000 to a charity of the winner's choice.

D-League commissioner Dan Reed did not disapprove of the stunt, labeling it "all in good fun."

The Flash were expected to announce that ticket-holders would receive free admission to a future game.