Player can keep that $20K from half-court shot if he uses it as scholarship money

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A college basketball player who won $20,000 by hitting a half-court shot in a promotion at an Oklahoma City Thunder game can keep the money for use as a scholarship, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Tuesday.

Cameron Rodriguez nailed the shot Nov. 18 during the Thunder's game against the Denver Nuggets. The jubilation was short-lived after the NAIA informed Rodriguez that if he kept the money, he would lose his amateur status at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan.

The college appealed, and the NAIA said Tuesday that Rodriguez could use the half-court winnings as scholarship money.

"We're pleased with the decision from the membership and specifically the [national eligibility committee] that allows Cameron to keep his winnings to use toward his education," said Jim Carr, NAIA president and CEO.

The NAIA said the decision to use the prize as scholarship money was a joint recommendation by Rodriguez and the Southwestern College athletic department, which was supported by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10115117/cameron-rodriguez-keep-20k-half-court-shot-thunder-game

I'm glad to hear that it was the college that appealed. Nice to see a school sticking up for one of its students. Though of course, they probably didn't want to lose a guy who can actually nail half-court shots.