The Cintas Center basketball court was empty Monday afternoon. The electricity generated by the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout and the midcourt shot Theo Nelson banked in at halftime Friday night had long since subsided. But he agreed to the Enquirer's request to return to the scene of the miracle to see if he could duplicate the shot that won him $1 million.

(Steven M. Herrpich photo) | ZOOM |	(Greg Rust/XU photo) | ZOOM |
Theo Nelson went 1-for-10 Monday (left) trying to duplicate his $1 million halfcourt shot (right).

        Mr. Nelson walked to the center of the court, carrying the same ball he used to win the money, then did everything exactly the way he had Friday.

        Positioned about 10 feet behind the midcourt line, he spun the ball up about eight feet and let it bounce back to him. He tossed it up again, and as it bounced, he moved toward it, caught it at his waist and in stride released his two-handed shot.

        “It's a matter of rhythm,” Mr. Nelson said.

        This time, the ball fell short and to the left of the basket. He tried again, and the ball smacked off the backboard to the right. Finally, on his fourth try, he made the shot, banking it off the backboard, about 43 feet from the midcourt line, and into the basket, just like he had for the money.

        He shot six more and missed all six, leaving him 1-for-10. Not that it mattered. He made the shot Friday when it counted, even if he won't take credit for it.

        “I can't help but stress the fact that God made that shot,” Mr. Nelson said.

        When Mr. Nelson arrived for services Sunday at the Morningstar Baptist Church in Walnut Hills, he received a standing ovation. As he settled back to listen to the sermon, he discovered it was about his million-dollar shot from the Cincinnati-Xavier basketball game, a shot he calls “a miracle from God.”

Rust celebrates after making the shot. (Greg Rust/XU photo) | ZOOM |

        “Our pastor compared it to David slinging the rock and hitting Goliath where he needed to be hit,” Mr. Nelson said Monday.

        That's about as close as Mr. Nelson got to a formal celebration of the shot that won $1 million for him and Erin Bonilla, his co-worker at Fifth Third Bank in Groesbeck.

        “It's really kind of overwhelming, but exciting,” said Mr. Nelson. “It's just like a dream. I feel like I haven't woken up yet. I have my wife pinch me every once in a while to make sure I'm awake.”

        Mr. Nelson, 38, is a mortgage originator who lives in Kennedy Heights. He received the opportunity to take the shot because Ms. Bonilla, a customer-service representative who was the actual contest winner, asked him to, figuring the former Western Hills High School basketball player had a better chance of making it than she did.

        As long as he has never played in the NBA or has not played college or high school basketball within the last five years, that was within the rules.

Nelson is interviewed by ESPN's Dick Vitale. (Greg Rust/XU photo) | ZOOM |

        He and Ms. Bonilla will share the money, which will be paid in annual installments of $33,000 for the next 30 years, although he said they haven't worked out yet how the money will be split. Ms. Bonilla could not be reached for comment.

        “She came to me and asked if I wouldn't mind shooting this,” Mr. Nelson said. “I'm like, why me when there's all these young guys out there? She has a strong faith, and I do, too. There was a connection there.”

        When Mr. Nelson told Ms. Bonilla of a dream he had about six weeks ago in which he made a shot from midcourt in front of a big crowd, she was sold. Mr. Nelson would take the shot.

        Ever since he made it, Mr. Nelson has been deluged by phone calls from media, friends and well-wishers — and one real estate agent who was having trouble selling a $450,000 home in Amberley Village and wanted to know if Mr. Nelson would be interested in buying it.

        He's not. Mr. Nelson, who plans to keep his job at the bank, said he will make no major lifestyle changes. He and his wife, Doris, have three boys, ages 8, 5 and 3 months, who will need money for college one day. And he might do some renovation on his house. But that's about it. No lifestyles of the rich and famous for him.

        “God would slap me up the side of my head if I did that,” Mr. Nelson said. “It would defeat the purpose of such a miracle.”

        Besides, he doesn't have the money yet.

        Before he receives a dime, the shot must be verified by ASU International, the insurance company that sold Skyline the Lloyds of London policy that will actually be the source of the $1 million. Skyline paid $23,000 for the protection.

        The certification process could take a week to 10 days as officials view the tape to make sure Mr. Nelson didn't cross the midcourt line before releasing the shot. But Tom Allen, Skyline's vice president for marketing, said he viewed the tape Monday and Mr. Nelson's feet were clearly 8 to 10 inches behind the line when the shot was released.

        The contest, Mr. Allen said, was conducted Nov. 5 through Dec. 2, “to add some fire” to the Crosstown Shootout, which Skyline sponsors.

        Skyline patrons participated by peeling away stickers from their drink cups that revealed if they had won anything. Most winners were awarded a free cheese coney or a Pepsi. But 10 stickers made the bearers eligible for a drawing to determine who would take the million-dollar shot.

        Skyline officials were told that it was unlikely all 10 stickers would be turned in, that five would be considered a lot. In fact, only two finalists emerged. Mr. Nelson won the right to take the shot when Ms. Bonilla's name was drawn at halftime.

        “I was standing at courtside when he let it go,” Mr. Allen said. “It was almost surreal. I'm watching it, and I'm thinking, "That looks pretty good.' It went in, and the crowd went wild. Way in the back of my mind, I thought, "Did I pay that insurance bill or not?'”

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