Derby City Banks Finished
10 players remained as the sun rose. Some of them were still up. It’s all part the DCC charm. If you’re part vampire, they’ll send a limo. You belong here. The wiser ones have learned that whether you’re here for the tales to tell or, the titles, and you want a realistic shot at the very respectable prize money, you’d better honor your body and get to bed. The daily draw is at 10am and if you snooze, you do lose. And lot’s do. ”My opponent didn’t show so I won by default,” is a more of a complaint rather than anything else, “I came to play. This is no way to win.” Or, get in stroke for the chance at a real player.
One passionate one pocketeer came all the way from LA and, in the 3rd round, drew Alex Olinger. “I lost 3-1, but the fact that I won a game from him and, went 6 and 7 balls in the other two, gives me confidence. Where’s the buy-back booth!” That’s the beauty of the Derby’s daily re-draw: All the buy backs are intermingled with the previous winners. It’s not seeded. You can just as easily be matched with your roommate as you can Efren Reyes. And, many have been. He’s had it pretty easy into the 6th round of the 1-Pocket and is comfortably recovering from that flu that bit him early in the Banks event.
Speaking of the Banks event, there were 10 left. One was the undefeated Billy Thorpe. Maybe it’s the story coverer’s curse. His previously reported record of 27 and 3 was soon dismantled to 27 and 9 by Shannon Murphy and Francisco Bustamante, respectively. They were hard fought sessions and Billy had battled. “I tried, I really tried but, now I have a One Pocket match.” That was then, this is now, The teflon warrior forges forward.
Back to the Banks: Hatch went out to Kiamco who had previously KO’d SVB, Shannon D, Jayson Shaw, Jason Miller, and given Larry Nevel his first loss. Ike Runnels got a bye. Murphy had eliminated Olinger, Daulton, and Thorpe. He now faced Nevel in Semi’s # 1. Nevel’s accomplishments included Chohan, Melling, and Runnels. Filipino Francisco Bustamante had given Murphy, Daulton, Olinger, and Thorpe their losses and now faced fellow countryman Warren Kiamko in semi’s # 2 on the Accu-Stats TV table. The staid Kiamko couldn’t compete with Bustey’s flair and at 3-1 was, simply, put to rest.
Simultaneously, in the main arena, the railbirds’ oohs and aahs were overheard as Larry and Shannon battered balls 3 rails to jar in the jaws. At 3-2, on his 5th ball, Larry prevailed as, finally, one of the previously elusive 3 railers fell into the pocket. He was in the finals with Francisco. Nevel performed flawlessly. The audience now realized what all that oohing and aahing was about as his banks were cleanly pocketed. Bustey, stoic now, was soon down 2 games…and 4 balls! Larry needed one to become DCC Bank Pool Champion. “It was over, I really thought it was over,” Busty later reflected. “I hadn’t had a look at a bank in 3 games.” Then Larry missed a makeable one. And, one ball at a time, Busty stole his first game.
Then, he meticulously crafted his 2nd. Nevel, nervous now, after a near miss, bounced the butt of his cue off the floor. Soon, it’s 2-2 in the 3rd and they both have 2 balls. Tension rising, Busty jawed one and pounded the rail with his fist. He later kicked at a pocket as it spat out a ball. Nevel missed to slump in his chair and repeatedly slap his shaft off his forehead. His fans commiserated, they knew what he must be thinking, “I only needed one ball! How could this happen?” Busty scrambled to 4 and, Larry at 3, fluffed the safe and opened up 2 balls from the spot. BANG! Nothing but net! Francisco Bustamante, in a miraculous recovery, was the 2017 Diamond Derby City Bank Pool Champion. “When I won that 2nd game, I knew I had him,” he effused. “There was no way I was going to lose.” We can only wonder what Larry must be thinking.
The DCC One Pocket Championships began with 347 players. There are about 70 slow pokin,’ cue-ball caressing, safety strategists left. 6 time DCC One Pocket Champion Efren Reyes, at 62, is comfortably into the 6th round. 3 time champion John Brumback was eliminated on Tuesday by Roberto Gomez. (Some may consider this an upset). Jason Chance gave Cliff Joyner his first loss as did Billy Thorpe to definite contender Tony Chohan who sent Shane to the buy-back booth. Scott Frost delivered Shannon Murphy to re-buy. Gomez continued his quest for a title and undid Ike Runnels, Styler Woodward harried Hillbilly Bryant while Dennis Hatch hurried Jason Klatt to buy-back.
The crash and burn continues tomorrow.
The DCC 9-Ball Championships commences Wednesday at noon.
View all at accu-stats.com
The George Fels Memorial Straight Pool Challenge is streaming at billiardnet.tv The popularity of the straight pool continues to exceed expectations. Players are lining up to participate We have a new leader; Chris Melling, 225; Dennis Orcollo, 198; Alex Pagulayan, 195; Jayson Shaw, 168; Darren Appleton, 154; Mika Immonen, 146; Li Wen Lo, 138; John Schmidt, 125, and Johann Chua, 115, are the top 8. The 14.1 event runs thru the week until the 8 highest run holders face off in single elimination for a prize fund of $22,000. If scheduling permits, Accu-Stats will stream, at least, the finals.
JUST ADDED: The Accu-Stats All Star, Race to One, 9-Ball Challenge. Thursday evening, back, by public demand, 16 top pros contend for the cash in fun-filled, mandatory push out after the break, single elimination rivalry.
BANKS RING GAME, on the Accu-Stats screen on Friday the 27th, will have the winner-take-all battle for the cash as, typically, the last 2 are usually banking for near a thousand a ball.
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Accu-Stats thanks its Arena Sponsors: Diamond Billiards, Simonis Cloth, Cyclop Balls, Cue and Case, MEZZ Cues, McDermott Cues, National Billiard Academy, OB Cues, and Samsara Cues.
Photography Courtesy of David Thomson, MediumPool.com
