by Lea Andrews

Alex Olinger took down fellow AA-player Josh Roberts in both of their encounters at the April 9-10 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, earning himself his second tour win this season. Olinger and Roberts were among the 33-player field gathered at Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA, for the $1,500-added event.

Alex Olinger took down fellow AA-player Josh Roberts in both of their encounters at the April 9-10 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, earning himself his second tour win this season.

After sending AA-ranked Danny Smith west 10-6, Olinger faced Roberts for the first time in the hot seat match. Roberts had blown past A-ranked Aaron Frady 10-3 but couldn’t manage the same results against Olinger, who knocked him over to the semifinals 10-8.

On the other side of the bracket, a B player, Mike Templeton, was making waves following his first-round loss to AA-ranked Jared McGee 10-4, ultimately ousting AA-ranked Tim Orange 7-2 before once again facing McGee. Earning his revenge 7-7 in the weighted match, Templeton moved on to Frady. Meanwhile, B player Ray Bourne made his way past A-ranked Tommy Nehar 7-2 and B-ranked Greg Little 7-6 to meet up with Smith. The hill-hill match went Smith’s way, and he advanced to the quarterfinals against Templeton, who’d put Frady in fifth 7-5. Against Smith, though, Templeton managed just five games himself to land in fourth and send Smith on to the semifinals. There, both of Olinger’s victims were looking for a chance at a rematch, but Roberts earned the right convincingly, pushing his way into the finals 10-2 and leaving Smith behind in third.

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The strong win in the semifinals would appear to be an indicator of Roberts’ resolve, and a second set in the true double-elimination final match seemed likely at the start. However, Olinger quickly put an end to that possibility, taking advantage of some of Roberts’ errors and playing skillfully to earn his first win as an AA player 10-2.

Results:
1st Alex Olinger $1,000
2nd Josh Roberts $550
3rd Danny Smith $330
4th Mike Templeton $180
5th Aaron Frady $65
Ray Bourne
7th Jared McGee $40
Greg Little

by Lea Andrews

Jared McGee was the last man standing after making an undefeated run at the first Great Southern Billiard Tour stop of the new year, hosted by Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA. The $1,500-added event was held January 8-9 and attracted a field of 36 players.

Daulton, Jared McGee, Joseph Cole, and Chris Holt, owner of Classic Billiards

McGee got past fellow A-player Adam Towery 9-5 to reach the hot seat match against Joseph Cole, who’d edged out Claude Marrier 9-8. Holding Cole to three games, McGee claimed the hot seat while Cole moved over to the semifinals.

On the left side of the bracket, John Maikke cruised through B-players Faith Thompson 9-5 and Chris Holt 9-1 to meet up with Towery, while Jeff Hooks ousted A-ranked Aaron Frady 9-6 and AA-ranked Sam Monday 9-9 to reach Marrier. Hooks, who’d found himself on the west side after a 9-5 encounter with Towery, earned a quarterfinal rematch after taking care of Marrier 9-7. Towery, who’d just put Maikke in fifth 9-5, managed just five games against Hooks and landed in fourth, while Hooks had his revenge and a spot in the semifinals against Cole. But Cole was eager to get another crack at McGee, and he managed to mark up the last game in their hill-hill match to move on to the finals.

In the true double-elimination final match, McGee got out to a 5-1 lead, but Cole fought back, bringing the score to hill-hill. In the final rack, the two traded safeties on the 1 ball, but when Cole hit it and scratched, the battle and the tournament were over—McGee earned his second tour win with a 1-9 combination.

View the Great Southern Billiard Tour brackets

Starting January 15 at 12 Noon EST, Inside POOL Magazine will be live streaming the Great Southern Billiard Tour stop at Fast Eddies in Goldsboro, NC. Watch the stream at InsidePOOLmag or Ustream.

Results:
1st Jared McGee $750
2nd Joseph Cole $500
3rd Jeff Hooks $300
4th Adam Towery $200
5th John Maikke $140
Claude Marrier
7th Chris Holt $70
Sam Monday

Great Southern Billiard Tour / Conyers, GA

by Lea Andrews

Adam Towery’s first win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour didn’t come easy–he had to get by past winner Horace “Groundhog” Godwin twice–but he nevertheless made it through unscathed. Towery and Godwin were among the field of 30 that arrived at Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA, the weekend of October 16-17 for the $1,500-added event, which was sponsored by Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Delta-13, and Tiger Products.

Towery and Godwin were among the field of 30 that arrived at Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA, the weekend of October 16-17 for the $1,500-added event.

A-ranked Towery sent B-ranked Trent Talbert west 9-3 to reach the hot seat match, where he met Godwin for the first time. Godwin, who’d taken care of fellow A player Jason Steman 9-5, pushed the hot seat match hill-hill, but he couldn’t mark up the final game.

On the one-loss side, A-ranked Aaron Frady, one of Godwin’s earlier victims, shut out Dwayne Brown 9-0 to meet up with A-ranked John Maikke, who’d notched his own shutout win over Steve Owens. Against Frady, though, Maikke managed just three games to finish in seventh, sending Frady on to Talbert. Meanwhile, A-ranked Claude Marrier, who’d been edged out earlier by Maikke 9-8, ousted A-ranked Jeff Hooks 9-6 and B-ranked Dave Shadden 9-4 to face Steman. It was Steman who prevailed 9-7, advancing to the quarterfinals against Talbert, who’d planted Frady in fifth 7-6. Looking for another go at Godwin, Steman held Talbert to four games to earn his spot in the semifinals against Godwin. Once again, though, Steman fell short 9-5, allowing Godwin to get his own chance at revenge against Towery.

In the true double-elimination final match, both players played well, just as they had in the hot seat match, but Towery was able to take advantage of a few dry breaks by Godwin to widen the gap a bit more this time around. He earned his first Great Southern Billiard Tour victory in one set, 9-6.

Results:

1st Adam Towery $800
2nd Horace Godwin $500
3rd Jason Steman $300
4th Trent Talbert $200
5th Claude Marrier $75
Aaron Frady

by Lea Andrews

Jeff Jordan hit a late bump in the road thanks to Mike Templeton, but he regained control for ultimate victory on the Great Southern Billiards Tour. Jordan and Templeton were among the field of 57 who vied for their share of the $1,500-added purse April 10-11 at Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA.

B-ranked Jordan rode a strong 7-6 win over AA-ranked Jesse Middlebrook, who was racing to 10, into the hot seat match, where he met Mike Templeton for the first time. B-ranked Templeton, who’d just gotten past A-ranked Josh Newman 7-7, managed just four games against Jordan.

On the other side of the bracket, Jordan’s A-ranked brother, Randy, took care of fellow A-player Claude Marrier 9-6 to face recent winner Mike Basha, who’d just blown past A-ranked Jason Jones 9-2. Dealing Basha a 9-5 blow, R. Jordan moved on to Middlebrook, who took control of the match to earn his spot in the quarterfinals 10-1. Meanwhile, another AA-ranked player, Brian White, was storming through the field, ousting A-players Aaron Frady 10-7 and Floyd Reasons 10-5 to meet up with Newman, whom he blew past 10-2 to face Middlebrook. It was the second time the two had met this tournament, and while Middlebrook had come out on top 10-5 the first time, White earned his revenge and the semifinal spot 10-7. But in the semifinal match, Templeton was fighting for his own rematch, and he got it with a decisive 7-5 victory.

In the first set of the true double-elimination final match, Templeton found himself on top of another 7-5 match, putting the two on equal footing, but in the second set, it was Jordan who came out on top as he won the set and the tournament 7-5.

Jeff Jordan hit a late bump in the road thanks to Mike Templeton, but he regained control for ultimate victory on the Great Southern Billiards Tour.

by Jose Burgos

Mika Immonen, recently crowned Player of the Year for 2009, took off the Mezz Pro-Am Tour’s February 21 stop, defeating Eddie Abraham in the finals. The $1,000-added stop was hosted by Atlantic City Billiard Club in Egg Harbor, NJ, and drew a field of 50.

Abraham led the top half of the bracket, besting Mike Conway 7-3 and Rob Palm 7-2 before going double-hill with Immonen. He squeaked past the Finn 7-6 and went on to defeat Phil Wines 7-5 and Joey Testa 7-5. Leading the bottom half of the bracket was Victor Nau, who notched victories over Jerry Russo 7-3, Tom Bow 7-6, Shaun Wilkie 7-4, Caroline Pao 7-3, and Liz Ford 7-6.

Abraham and Nau collided in the hot seat match, and Abraham took control right from the start. He handled Nau easily, winning 7-3 to advance to the finals. Waiting for Nau on the west side of the chart was Immonen. Another lopsided match ensued, but with Immonen advancing this time 7-3.

In the true double-elimination final match, Immonen had to best Abraham twice to win. Abraham took an early 4-1 lead in the first set, but Immonen turned the tables and came back to win 7-5. The players traded the lead in the second set, but it was Immonen who pulled away late to win the match 7-4.

Immonen, recently crowned Player of the Year for 2009, took off the Mezz Pro-Am Tour’s February 21 stop, defeating Eddie Abraham in the finals.

by Jose Burgos

Eddie Abraham topped Adam Kielar in the finals of the Blaze Tour at One Shot Billiards in Somerset, NJ.

One Shot Billiards in Somerset, NJ, played host to the Blaze 9-Ball Tour’s October 5 stop. This $1,000-added event brought players such as Jose Parica, Joe Frady, and Matt Krah, with Eddie Abraham taking home top honors.
 
Leading the top half the bracket was Adam Kielar, scoring victories over Larry Ross 7-5,  Shaun Dobson 7-2, and Frady. Parica took charge of the bottom half, with wins over Tyler Foy 7-1, Mike Fingers 7-4, and Abraham 7-4.
 
Parica was sent to the one-loss side by Kielar after Kielar took the hot seat 7-5. Abraham awaited Parica in the semifinals, and he won their match easily 7-3. In the double-elimination finals, Abraham defeated Kielar 7-5 in the first set and 7-6 in the second.

Results:
1st Eddie Abraham $675
2nd Adam Kielar $370
3rd Jose Parica $200
4th Joe Frady $80