Morra double dips Kiamco to take 8-Ball event of the 2011 US Bar Table Championships

John Morra emerged as a one-loss side finalist from one of four brackets, accommodating 157 entrants, who'd signed on to compete in Cue Sports International's 2011 US Bar Table 8-Ball Championships at the Sands Regency in Reno Nevada, during the week of February 21-28. He worked his way through four opponents on the one-loss side of the eight-player final bracket for the right to meet Warren Kiamco in the event finals. He defeated Kiamco twice to take the 8-ball title.

Morra opened his 8-ball campaign with four straight wins, over John Sandifer, Octavio Diaz, Jr., Ray Skenandore, and Pat Schumacher, before being sent to the one-loss side by Amar Kang in a double hill battle. They'd meet again in the event's semifinal match. Five straight wins, over Mark Estes, Jerry Matchin, Stan Tourangeau, Sylver Ochoa, and Ivan Doty, put Kiamco among the four winners in the final-eight bracket. With Kang in the wings, working his way toward the hot seat match, Kiamco shut out Brandon Ashcraft, as Kang was busy sending Josh O'Neal west 5-4. Kiamco gained the hot seat with a 5-3 victory over Kang, sending him to his ill-fated, semifinal re-match against Morra.

Morra, in the meantime, ended Josh Smith's tournament bid with a 5-3 victory, and picked up Brandon. O'Neal faced Doty, who'd shut out Stevie Moore. Morra and O'Neal got into the quarterfinals with 5-3 victories over Ashcraft and Doty, respectively. Morra got his second chance against Kang with a double hill win over O'Neal and then got his revenge, dropping Kang in third place, double hill.

There was a $2,000 differential at stake, as Morra and Kiamco squared off in a true double elimination final. Morra allowed Kiamco only two racks in each of the two sets to take home the $5,000 first place prize.