With the top players still in the states waiting for the Ten-Ball Challenge at Trump Marina, the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour event at Boston Billiard Club in Danbury, CT drew a crowd of 78 players this weekend.
Last week's winner Francisco Bustamante looked to be the early favorite at the beginning of the event and he went through Saturday's matches undefeated. On Sunday morning however, he ran into Ronnie Alcano. Alcano has dominated the Joss Tour like no other player this season and he was certainly not going to give up a match to anyone without a fight, even a match against the 2002 Player of the Year.
Alcano jumped ahead early in the match, and never looked back as he cruised to a 9-3 victory to send Bustamante to the one loss side. Bustamante took this loss in stride and continued where he left off before Alcano, defeating players and winning matches.
Bustamante got his chance for revenge against Alcano in the match for 3rd and 4th place, and revenge he got with a 9-5 victory. Bustamante's next match was against Jarrod Clowery who had just lost to George San Souci for the hot seat. This match was a little closer but it will went Bustamante's way, as he won 9-6 to set up the finals where he would have to defeat San Souci twice.
The finals were all Bustamante as he cruised to a 9-2 victory and followed that up with a 9-3 victory to win his second straight Joss Tour event.
Bustamante collected $1600 for first, while San Souci pocketed $1140 for second. Clowery and Alcano filled out the top four spots.
The events at Boston Billiard Club are always some of the favorite events for fans of the Joss Tour and this year's was no exception. This year, Boston Billiard Club was working with the Connecticut Lottery, The American Red Cross and the Housatonic Valley Tourism District to help bring attention to their causes.
The Joss Tour will be at Cap's Cue Club in Syracuse, NY next weekend.
Complete Payouts:
1st Francisco Bustamante $1600
2nd George San Souci $1140
3rd Jarrod Clowery $900
4th Ronnie Alcano $700
5th/6th Rafael Martinez, Mike Zuglan $550
7th/8th Robb Saez, Jim Rempe $400
9th/12th Mark Dunay, Joey Kong, Scott Ireland, Dave Fernandez $250
13th/16th Santos Sambajon, Edwin Jackson, Darren Beliveau, Elder Jesus $175
17th/24th Rich Ross, Sandor Tot, Nick Mannino, Frankie Hernandez, Ron Piontkowski, Ivaylo Petrov, Noel Bensurto, Steve Therrien $100
Photo courtesy of Ken Wright
