SAN ANTONIO – 45 seconds. That’s the amount of time firefighter Matthew Ahrens had to make a layup, a three-pointer and a half-court shot at a recent Spurs game.
Now he has 10,000 reasons to smile.
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Caption: Zack Hedrick talks to half court hero Matthew Ahrens.
Throughout the 50-year history of the San Antonio Spurs, there have been quite a few big shots.
The Little General in ’99. Robert Horry’s three in 2005. And of course, the Memorial Day Miracle.
Now we have what’s being called, ‘The Shot Heard Around the Arena.’
Back on January 15th, firefighter Matt Ahrens, a San Antonio resident, was picked as a Half Court Hero.
“I was just super nervous to be quite honest,” Ahrens said.
But Matt had a strategy and some reps under his belt.
“I’d actually gone to the gym and practiced a couple of times,” said Ahrens, who was selected by Victory Capital for the half court challenge. “And I did it one time I was out there on my own so I knew in my head that I could do it.”
The layup was no problem. He hit the three-pointer on the fourth try.
“I figured I was just going to try and get up as many shots as I could,” said Ahrens.
On his seventh shot from half court, with time winding down…
“It felt decently good when I threw it up on the last one I thought it was possible for sure,” said Ahrens.
It was nothing but the bottom.
Matt’s shot even got some praise from the guy who knocked down that big shot on Memorial Day.
“He was cranking them out too,” said Sean Elliot, on the game’s broadcast. “That was the final shot at the buzzer. How about that?!”
A plan for the 10-grand is in place.
“Probably go on a good trip with my wife somewhere,” said Ahrens. “Save up the rest probably.”
As for whether or not he could re-create his half-court heave.
“I wouldn’t imagine it would probably happen again,” said Ahrens. “Maybe if I had a bunch of chances but if I went out there right now I guess I probably wouldn’t do it but maybe who knows.”