ST.
LOUIS – Alex Permann hit a half-court shot before the Missouri Valley
Conference championship game Sunday and cost himself $50,000.
That probably needs explanation.
Permann, a 24-year-old optometry student at the University of
Missouri-St. Louis was selected for one of those popular shooting
contests; make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot in the
allotted time to win a prize – 24 seconds, in Sunday's case, and
$50,000.
Permann hit the layup, nailed the free throw, then
dashed to the midcourt line and buried a half-court shot, waving his
hands in joy as the crowd roared, thinking they had just seen the big
winner of the weekend.
"When I hit that shot," he said later, "I was thinking about 50 grand."
Ooops.
About that 3-pointer -- he forgot.
"I guess I don't listen too good," Permann said.
By the time he realized his mistake, he had time to rush off a couple of 3-point attempts, but missed.
Rules are rules. MVC officials huddled and came up with a
compromise. Permann will get four tickets for life to the MVC tournament
and four VIP passes and a three-day hotel stay in St. Louis for next
year's tournament.
"I've got to tell you, I'm just sick," MVC associate commissioner Jack Watkins said of Permann losing his jackpot.
"Either way, it's been awesome. I just can't believe I made it," said
Permann, whose main experience with basketball is playing in an
intramural league once a week. He'll have the memory, anyway. Just not
$50,000.
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