by InsidePOOL Staff

Joe Palone enjoyed an undefeated run through the field at the Tri-State Tour’s January 28 stop to take the title over Randy Mackin in the finals. The $750-added stop attracted 41 A-D players to Port Richmond Billiards in Staten Island, NY.

Palone and Mackin first met in the hot seat match after wins over Rhio Anne Flores 7-2 and Tony Ignomirello 6-3, respectively. The winners’ side final match went double-hill, with Palone eking out a 7-6 victory and sending Mackin to the left side of the bracket.

left to right: 2nd Place - Randy Mackin; 1st Place - Joe Palone , 3rd Place - Rick Shellhouse

Flores foundered on the one-loss side and was sent home in fifth place by Rajesh Vannala 7-4. Tying with her was Ignomirello, who was eliminated by Rick Shellhouse in a lopsided 6-1 match. Shellhouse went on to play Vannala in the quarterfinal match, narrowly winning 8-6.

Eager to earn revenge over Palone in the finals, Mackin soundly defeated Shellhouse in the semis 6-2. In his second meeting with Palone, though, Mackin found it difficult to keep up, and Palone soon skated to the winner’s circle 7-3.

Results:
1st Joe Palone $650
2nd Randy Mackin $440
3rd Rick Shellhouse $270
4th Rajesh Vannala $160
5th Rhio Anne Flores $105
Tony Ignomirello
7th Gary Murgia $80
Ben Castaneros

by InsidePOOL Staff

An undefeated B. J. Ussery won top honors at the January 14-15 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, as he breezed through the field to best Mike Fuller in the final match. The $1,500-added amateur 9-ball event drew 42 players to Brown’s Billiards in Raleigh, NC.

An undefeated B. J. Ussery won top honors at the January 14-15 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, as he breezed through the field to best Mike Fuller in the final match.

Ussery’s run wasn’t without its challenges, though. After sending Younger Chapman to the one-loss side 11-5, he went on to face Fuller, who had just bested Brad Shearer 11-5, for the first time in the event in the hot seat match. Their first meeting in the tournament went hill-hill, with Ussery eking out the 11-10 win.

Once on the west side of the chart, Chapman and Shearer soon found themselves tied for fifth place courtesy of James Blackburn 7-8 and Brian White 11-6, respectively. White went on to topple Blackburn in the quarterfinal match 11-6 and advance to the semifinals.

In a narrow 11-9 decision, it was Fuller who won and earned a rematch with Ussery in the finals. It was another close call, but Fuller still could not get past Ussery, who took the title 11-9.

Results:
1st B. J. Ussery $1,000
2nd Mike Fuller $500
3rd Brian White $300
4th James Blackburn $200
5th Younger Chapman $155
Brad Shearer
7th Vernon Rogers $90
Larry Kressel

by InsidePOOL Staff

Ben Castaneros and Raymond Lee met three times at the Tri-State Tour’s January 7-8 event, with Castaneros double-dipping Lee in the finals to take the title. The $2,000-added stop drew a field of 61 players to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY, for the A- through D-player, 9-ball event.

Castaneros and Lee first matched up in the winners’ side final four, where Lee dealt Castaneros his first—and only—loss of the tournament 6-1. In the other bracket, Bryan Jeziorski sent Alex Osipov to the west side of the chart 7-5. Jeziorski put up a fight in the hot seat match, but Lee was able to notch a 7-4 win.

Ben Castaneros and Raymond Lee met three times at the Tri-State Tour’s January 7-8 event, with Castaneros double-dipping Lee in the finals to take the title. left to right: 3rd Place Bryan Jeziorski, 2nd Place Raymond Lee ; righ most 1st Place Ben Cataneros

From the left side of the bracket, Castaneros sprang back with a 7-4 victory over Mike Strassberg, while Osipov sent Ron Gabia home in a fifth-place tie with Strassberg after their match ended 7-2. Castaneros and Osipov collided in the quarterfinal match, which saw Castaneros best Osipov 6-4 to stay alive.

It was another victory for Castaneros in the semifinals, where he eliminated Jeziorski in third place 7-4. In the double-elimination final match, Castaneros dominated Lee 6-2 in the first set and 6-1 in the second to take first place.

Results:
1st Ben Castaneros $1,250
2nd Raymond Lee $870
3rd Bryan Jeziorski $590
4th Alex Osipov $420
5th Ron Gabia $270
Mike Strassberg
7th Ed Culhane $190
Andrzej Kaldan
9th Robert Plaut $140
Arturo Reyes
Luis Jimenez
Alan Chan

by InsidePOOL Staff

After a hill-hill, fourth-round loss to Shawn Putnam, Shane Van Boening came back through the one-loss side to take the Turning Stone Classic title over Raj Hundal in the finals. The $25,000-added tournament, held twice a year at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY, drew a packed field of 128.

At the start of Sunday’s matches, only four players remained undefeated. Mike “The Fireball” Dechaine suffered his first loss to Rodney Morris, both recently returned from the Mosconi Cup, 9-5, while Ralf Souquet, a Mosconi Cup veteran, was sent to the west side by Raj Hundal 9-5. Hundal went on to best Morris 9-4 and await a finals opponent.

After a hill-hill, fourth-round loss to Shawn Putnam, Van Boening came back through the one-loss side to take the Turning Stone Classic title over Hundal in the finals.

On the left bracket, Darren Appleton, who suffered a third-round, hill-hill loss to Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour threat Dennis Hatch, won six matches in a row to reach Mosconi Cup teammate Souquet and fell 9-3 in fifth place. Tying with him was Dechaine, who came out on the short end of a hill-hill match against Van Boening.

Once on the west side of the chart, Van Boening disposed of top-notch players such as Larry Nevel 9-5, Bucky Souvanthong 9-6, Earl Strickland 9-4, and Dennis Hatch 9-2 to reach the quarterfinals. After disposing of Dechaine, he then had to face the determined Souquet, a past champion of the Turning Stone event. He made quick work of the German, moving on to the semifinals with a 9-3 win.

View the Turning Stone tournament brackets (updated continuously)

Defending champion Morris awaited Van Boening, but there was no repeat performance for the Hawaiian as “The South Dakota Kid” allowed him 5 racks in the race to 9. In the extended race-to-13 final match, Van Boening allowed Hundal a few chances, but when all was said and done, Van Boening took the final match and the title 13-9.

by InsidePOOL Staff

Norris Brady went undefeated to win the last stop for 2011 on the Great Southern Billiard Tour after escaping a double-dip attempt by Glenn Russell in the final match. The $1,500-added event was hosted by Speakeazy Billiards in Sanford, NC, and drew a strong field of 52 players.

Brady delivered a donut to Tommy Cook in the winners’ side final four 9-0 to move on to the hot seat match, as Chris Vollmar only allowed Mike Walker one rack before winning their match 9-1 to meet Brady. In the hot seat match, it was another story, as the players traded rack for rack before Brady ultimately edged out Vollmar to win 9-8.

After Russell whizzed past Shawn Ray 9-2, he went on to send Cook home with a score of 9-5 to advance to the quarterfinal match. Meeting him there was B.J. Hucks, who had gone through Billy Thorpe 9-4 and then Walker 9-4. The quarterfinal match was a closer one, but still Russell managed to best Hucks 9-6 to keep his momentum going.

Norris Brady went undefeated to win the last stop for 2011 on the Great Southern Billiard Tour after escaping a double-dip attempt by Glenn Russell in the final match. The $1,500-added event was hosted by Speakeazy Billiards in Sanford, NC, and drew a strong field of 52 players.

In the semifinals against Vollmar, Russell was unimpressed and sent his opponent home in third place with a 9-3 win. On a roll, Russell took Brady to the hill in the first set of the double-elimination finals and triumphed 9-8. In the second set, though, it was Brady who came through with a 9-5 victory to claim the title.

This was the last event of 2011 for the Great Southern Billiard Tour. They would like to thank their sponsors: Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Delta 13 Rack, Tiger Products, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, and Mike Davis Exterminating.

Results:
1st $1,000
2nd $650
3rd Chris Vollmar $425
4th B.J. Hucks $300
5th Tommy Cook $150
Mike Walker
7th Shawn Ray $100
Billy Thorpe

Europe 4 – 1 USA

After the first day’s play at the 2011 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup, considered by many to be the best billiards event of the season, Team Europe holds a commanding 4-1 lead as they cashed in on some tentative play from the Americans at the MGM Grand.

Aside from Archer and Putnam’s solid show in the first doubles match of the tournament, none of the Americans were firing on all cylinders and captain Charlie Williams will have a job to do for tomorrow.

Europe by contrast looked like thoroughbreds with big names like Souquet and Feijen looking the part and rookie Chris Melling pulling off a stunning win in the last game of the day.

Watched by his father, who was celebrating his 60th birthday, the 32 year-old Melling looked superb as he came from 3-0 down to steal the final match of the day from Shane Van Boening with a hill-hill win.

It was a bitter pill for the Americans to swallow as the difference between 3-2 and 4-1 is immense, and they will need to dig deep tomorrow if they are to reverse their fortunes.

Earlier, the Europeans drew first blood as they took the opening team match which featured all ten players. The format differed from previous years, in that each rack was contested by just two players rather than the alternate shot method involving all five.

It was Chris Melling who took the deciding rack against Mike Dechaine for the point but the Americans looked a little nervous throughout.

2010 MVP Darren Appleton was delighted with the win; “I’m really happy with the start. The format had changed a bit and it adds more pressure. You’re a bit cold and have no help from your friends. I played the first rack and was shaking really badly.

“Chris didn’t get a shot in the first game but he managed to win the rack that won us the point and I think he will go on and play very well.

“We don’t have to gel as we just come together and are a lot more relaxed than ever before. We’re playing really good, feel calm in ourselves and pretty sure we’re going to win.”

The American pair of Johnny Archer and Shawn Putnam – close friends off the table – dug their heels in to overturn a 3-1 deficit and beat the Euro duo of Chris Melling and Nick Van Den Berg.

It was a big point for the Americans as Archer and Putnam grew in confidence as the match went on and they came with the critical shots in the closing stages. The communication between the pair was excellent as they kicked on for victory.

“Representing your country is the most pressure you will feel,” said Putnam.

AFTER the first day’s play at the 2011 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup, Team Europe holds a commanding 4-1 lead as they cashed in on some tentative play from the Americans at the MGM Grand.

Match summary
Europe 6-4 USA

Melling / Van den Berg 3-6 Archer / Putnam

Niels Feijen 6-0 Rodney Morris

Appleton / Souquet 6-4 Van Boening / Dechaine

Chris Melling 6-5 Shane Van Boening

“Everyone is used to playing for yourselves but when you play for your country the nerves are about ten times more and your friends on the team are looking for you to come through.

Archer added “It’s early but any match can turn anything around. We were 3-1 down and the momentum was in their favour but a bad break gave us a bit of a lifeline and we started creeping back.”

Rodney Morris, for so long a stalwart of the US Mosconi Cup side, looked a forlorn figure as he slumped to a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Niels Feijen. The Dutchman looked clinical throughout as he capitalised on Morris’s lacklustre display.

“That match was great,” said a delighted Feijen.

“In the first team match it was the most nerve-racking match I’ve played in so it was nice to settle down in th Read more ...]]> http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiard-news/europe-leads-4-1-at-mosconi-cup.html/feed 0 http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiards/white-whips-great-southern-billiards-field.html http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiards/white-whips-great-southern-billiards-field.html#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:14:04 +0000 Pool and Billiards News http://www.insidepoolmag.com/?p=16563 White Whips Great Southern Billiards Field
Great Southern Billiard Tour / Myrtle Beach, SC

by InsidePOOL Staff

It was an unchallenged trip to the winner’s circle for Brian White at the December 3-4 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, where he bested a field of 73 players to take first place. The $1,500-added amateur 9-ball event was hosted by The Shore Thing in Myrtle Beach, SC.

White faced down Wendell Thompkins in the winners’ side final four 10-8 to advance to the hot seat match, while Scott Roberts bested Jason “J Bird” Brown 9-9 to do the same. It was White who claimed the hot seat after an easy 10-4 victory over Roberts.

Brown’s wings were soon clipped on the one-loss side by Greg Dix, who won their match 10-9. Tying with Brown in fifth place was Thompkins, who was eliminated by Jared McGee 10-8. McGee then went on to oust Dix 10-8 in the quarterfinal match.

Clearly on a roll, McGee then advanced to the semifinals, where he sent Roberts home 10-6 to earn a chance at the main prize against White. But White had other ideas, and he only allowed McGee to take one rack before he won the final match 10-1.

It was an unchallenged trip to the winner’s circle for Brian White at the December 3-4 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, where he bested a field of 73 players to take first place.

Results:
1st Brian White $1,000
2nd Jared McGee $600
3rd Scott Roberts $450
4th Greg Dix $300
5th Wendell Thompkins $200
Jason Brown
7th Dylan Letchworth $120
Mike Slaughter
9th Richard West $60
B.J. Hucks
Chris Ruesseger
Daniel Rutledge

by InsidePOOL Staff

Hometown favorite Chris Gentile laid claim to the Poison Florida State Amateur Championships, coming out on top of a 57-player field to take first place. Hammerheads Billiards Lounge in Holiday, FL, hosted the $2,000-added main event and the $500-added second chance event the weekend of November 19-20.

Gentile proved to be the man to beat as he went about his business with strong wins over Jason Sheerman 7-6, Poison Amateur Tour Player of the Year Jim Sandaler 7-3, Walter Blacker 7-3, Bryan Davalos 7-5, and then Mark Wathen 7-2 to find himself in the hot seat match, where he met 2009 Florida Amateur State champion David Uwate. Uwate made his way to the hot seat match with wins over Valerie Dukic 7-0, Louis Altese 7-3, Julio Del Pozo 7-2, Jarred Schlauch 7-4, and Paul Mullins 7-4. The match did not disappoint, as both players kept the pressure on by trading racks all the way to hill-hill. Uwate looked in control until a position error from the 7 ball to the 8 left him too tough on the 8, and a miss left Gentile with a tap-in 8 and 9 to take the hot seat.

On the left side of the chart, 2010 U.S. Amateur champion Raymond Linares was wreaking havoc after a first-round loss to Jarred Schlauch 7-6. Linares went on to eliminate five players before notching strong wins over Paul Mullins 7-0, Jeff Mabry 7-6, and Uwate 7-0 to make it to the final match.

Linares’ run of nine matches on the west side came to an end with Gentile looking fresh and strong to take his first and biggest title on the Poison Amateur Tour and be crowned 2011 Florida Amateur State champion and take the $1,000 first-place prize money.

The second chance event came down to a one-rack shootout between Brett Lykins and Jason Sheerman, with Lykins taking first place.

Hometown favorite Chris Gentile laid claim to the Poison Florida State Amateur Championships, coming out on top of a 57-player field to take first place.

Results:
1st Chris Gentile $1,000
2nd Raymond Linares $700
3rd David Uwate $550
4th Jeff Mabry $450
5th Paul Mullins $350
Mark Wathen
7th Bryan Davalos $250
Ob Cirilo
9th Stephen Richmond $150
Julio Del Pozo
Jarred Schlauch
Felix Luna

by InsidePOOL Staff

Greg Smith came back from a late loss at the November 26-27 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour to double-dip Adam Bryan in the finals to take the title. The $1,500-added amateur 9-ball stop was held at Mickey Milligan’s Billiards and Pub in New Bern, NC, and attracted a field of 32 that Thanksgiving weekend.

A hill-hill defeat in the winners’ side final four at the hands of Smith 9-8 sent Sidney Champion to the one-loss side of the chart, as Smith advanced to the hot seat. His opponent was Bryan, who had just squeaked past Larry Faulk 7-8. Bryan went on to best Smith 7-5 and await a finals opponent, while Smith headed west.

On the left side, Charlie Brinson whitewashed Champion 7-0 and sent him home in fifth place, as Faulk defeated Montez Lloyd 9-6, who tied with Champion. Faulk gave Brinson a taste of his own medicine in the quarterfinals, handing him a donut 7-0.

But Faulk reached the end of his event in the next round as Smith eliminated him 9-7 to advance to the double-elimination final match against Bryan. Smith only allowed Bryan to win a total of 5 racks as he himself claimed 18 by winning the finals 9-2, 9-3 to take first place.

Greg Smith came back from a late loss at the November 26-27 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour to double-dip Adam Bryan in the finals to take the title. Daulton, Adam Bryan, Greg Smith, and Gerry Shephard (owner of Mickey Milligan's Billiards & Pub)

Results:
1st Greg Smith $1,000
2nd Adam Bryan $500
3rd Larry Faulk $350
4th Charlie Brinson $205
5th Montez Lloyd $100
Sidney Champion

by InsidePOOL Staff

Tom D’Alfonso bested hometown hero Mike “Fireball” Dechaine in a gritty double-elimination finals at the November 19-20 stop of the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour to claim the title. The $5,000-added stop was hosted by Snookers Billiards Bar and Grill in Providence, RI, and drew a field of 64 top players.

It was D’Alfonso who skated through the winners’ bracket, defeating Ivaylo Petrov hill-hill and advancing to the hot seat match. There his opponent was Matt Tetreault, who had just bested Stevie Moore 9-6. The hot seat match was no contest, as D’Alfonso easily handled Tetreault 9-2 and sent his opponent to the west side of the chart.

Dechaine moved speedily through the one-loss side, eliminating Jennifer Barretta 9-5, Bucky Souvanthong 9-2, and then Moore 9-7 to reach the quarterfinal match. “Iron Mike” Davis, having just ousted Petrov 9-5 at a fifth-place tie, was Dechaine’s competitor, and Dechaine slipped past him 9-2.

In the semifinal match, Dechaine also found little resistance from Tetreault, sending his opponent home in third place 9-5. In the double-elimination final match, Dechaine dominated D’Alfonso in the first set 9-3, but D’Alfonso turned the tables in the second and won the title by the score of 9-3.

Tom D’Alfonso bested hometown hero Mike “Fireball” Dechaine in a gritty double-elimination finals at the November 19-20 stop of the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour to claim the title.

Results:
1st Tom D’Alfonso $2,500
2nd Mike Dechaine $1,800
3rd Matt Tetreault $1,300
4th Mike Davis $1,000
5th Stevie Moore $750
Ivaylo Petrov
7th Bucky Souvanthong $550
Brittany Bryant
9th Ray McNamara $350
Jennifer Barretta
Greg Antonakos
Ron Casanzio