Pacing the basketball court at the AIS Arena in his steel-capped boots, Mawson cabinetmaker Geoff Graham was about to make the throw of his life.
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One shot from the half-way line for $100,000.
In a competition organised by radio station 104.7, 104 people who'd earlier had their names registered had been allocated numbers and were nervously waiting in the bleachers on Friday morning to see if their number would be drawn out and they would be eliminated from making the life-changing throw.
104.7 presenter and producer Joe Gleeson, wearing his Super Joe suit, had already shown how it's done making a running leap towards the half-way line and taking a classic, leaping shot - and then sliding across the floor in celebration as he saw the ball rush through the net.
Canberra Raiders star Jarrod Croker was allowed a few throws and potted the shot on the fourth attempt with a lovely underarm rugby league-style pass.
Then Gleeson was drawing out numbered balls to eliminate more punters, some balls bouncing on the floor. Not quite the rigour of a PriceWatersCooperhouse-overseen Lotto draw. It got down to the final 10 listeners still in contention. Gleeson had earlier plucked the winning ball from the container, secreting it in his suit. He pulled it out. (High up from his suit, we must clarify)
Mr Graham, 32, had told a mate the day before that if he was allocated No.69, he'd been making the shot. He felt sure. What'd he get? No. 69. What was called out as the winning ball? No.69.
The young father-of-five, who's played a lot of cricket and football, but no basketball, then paced nervously at the line, waiting as The Man by Aloe Blacc played during the live radio cross.
''I wasn't even this nervous on my wedding day,'' he would say later.
Then it was show time. The Sirens Cheerleaders gave him a special cheer. The crowd started chanting his name. Senior Constable Troy Roberts from ACT Policing stood at the line to make sure Mr Graham's foot didn't go over. The un-allocated big cheque for $100,000 was sitting tantalisingly to one side. Time must have stopped for Mr Graham.
Then the throw. Croker-style, under-arm pass, back to Mr Graham's league roots. The ball hit the backboard. And then bounced away from the net. The disappointment was palpable.
''I knew it was off a bit,'' Mr Graham said.
And despite the valiant effort, with the missed shot went Mr Graham's hopes of using the money for a house deposit and holiday and to pay off his debts. Good guys, 104.7 breakfast hosts Scotty and Nige, still handed over $1047 to him as a consolation prize.
Mr Graham said it would go on ''a couple of cases'' to watch the footy on Friday night. He felt pretty good to get as far as he did.
''I had no intention of even holding that ball, none at all,'' he said.
So close, yet so far. And probably a big sigh of relief from both 104.7 and sponsor Club Lime who were up to pay the $100,000. Not a bad way to spend the second-last week of radio ratings in Canberra until the first survey results are released at the end of the month.
