Ramon Feliciano, Lidio “Rasta” Ramierez and Thomas Schreiber
Earlier this year, in June, Lidio Ramirez chalked up his first win on the Predator Tour, going undefeated. On Saturday, December 21, he matched that undefeated performance to capture his first title on the Tri-State Tour. The $1,000-added event drew 28 entrants to the Cue Bar in Bayside, Queens, NY.
Following victories over Luis Jimenez, Dave Shlemperis, and Brian Cap, Ramirez faced Liam Tully in a winners' side semifinal, as Thomas Schrieber faced Bryan Singh in another. Ramirez downed Tully 7-4, and in the battle for the hot seat, faced Schrieber, who'd shut out Singh. Ramirez took the hot seat 9-8 and waited on Schrieber's return, which almost didn't happen, thanks to a six-match, loss-side streak by Ramon Feliciano.
Schrieber had sent Feliciano to the loss side originally, in another shutout. Feliciano got back to work and won three, including a shutout over Arthur Russell and a 6-4 win over Paulo Valverde to face Singh. Tully picked up Meshak Daniel, who'd gotten by Arturo Reyes 7-3 and shut out Brian Cap.
Tully downed Daniel 7-5, as Feliciano was busy surviving a double hill fight against Singh. No sooner had he defeated Singh, than Feliciano found himself in another double hill battle, this time against Tully in the quarterfinals. He survived that one, as well, which earned him a re-match against Schrieber in the semifinals. It was Feliciano's third straight double hill match, but Schrieber took the win this time, earning his own re-match against Ramirez, waiting for him
in the hot seat.
Schreiber came out gunning, winning four in a row at the start; a commanding lead by any standard. Ramirez, though, had an answer; four of his own that tied the match up. Two in a row for both of them, followed by a single win for both of them knotted things at 7-7. Ramirez completed his first win on the Tri-State Tour, winning the final two.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at the Cue Bar for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Qpod, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Focus Cases by John Bartron, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics , and Focus Apparel. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Saturday, December 27, will be hosted by Steinway Billiards in Astoria, Queens.
Raphael Dabreo closed out 2013 with an undefeated victory on the Tri-State Tour in late December. He opened proceedings in 2014 with an undefeated run through a field of 105, on-hand for the $750-added Amateur Predator Tour on the weekend of January 11-12. In so doing, he added a sixth tour win to a 'one-per-month' pace he'd initiated last August. The Amateur event, run concurrently with an Open event on January 12 (story) drew those 105 competitors to Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.
From among the winners' side final four, DaBreo sent Keith Adamik to the loss side 7-3. His hot seat and finals opponent, Bryan Toolsee, in the meantime, defeated Bryan Singh 7-5. In their first of two, DaBreo sent Toolsee to the semifinals 10-5.
Moving to the loss side, Adamik picked up Jack Smith, who benefited from a forfeit by Eric Grasman and defeated Marco Dy 7-4. Singh drew Izac Horne, who'd gotten by Meshak Daniel 7-5 and Chickie Romero 7-4. Identical 7-5 victories over Smith and Singh, sent Adamik and Horne to the quarterfinals. Adamik prevailed in those quarterfinals 9-5, and was then defeated by Toolsee in the semifinals 8-2. DaBreo completed his undefeated run and claimed the Amateur event title with a 10-8 victory in the finals.
Shivam Gupta got as close to the Tri-State Tour winners' circle as he'd ever gotten two weeks ago, when he finished in the tie for fifth place in Clifton, NJ. On Saturday, November 30, he broke through to go undefeated in a $1,500-added event that drew 37 entrants to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY. Gupta was awarded the title by default, when he and his finals opponent, Chris Derewonski, whom he'd met first in the hot seat match, opted out of a final confrontation.
Following wins over Vagif Alexberov, Akbar Kamueddien and Bryan Singh, Gupta moved among the winners' side final four for a match versus Eric Hummel. Derewonski, in the meantime, squared off against Luis Jimenez. Gupta downed Hummell 7-5, as Derewonski sent Jimenez to the loss side 8-4. Gupta won what would prove to be his only match against Derewonski 8-3, and sat in the hot seat, awaiting the decision that would cancel the re-match.
Jimenez moved over and met up with Gary Murgia, who'd gotten by Lidio Ramirez 7-5 and survived a double hill match against Arturo Reyes. Hummell drew Bryan Singh, who'd been defeated by Gupta in a winners' side final eight contest, and then defeated Ben Castaneros 6-2 and Pat Mareno 6-3.
Jimenez shut Murgia out, advancing to the quarterfinals against Singh, who'd defeated Hummell, double hill. Singh completed a four-match, loss-side winning streak with a 7-5 win over Jimenez and then, was dropped by Derewonski 10-5 in the semifinals. It was at this point, that due to the lateness of the hour, Gupta and Derewonski chose not to play the final match, ceding the event title to the undefeated Gupta.
Tour representatives thanked Gotham City Billiards' owners, Kevin and Isabel Buckley, for their continued hospitality, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Qpod, Heptig Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour is scheduled for December 7 at Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ.
Matthew Harricharan, Raphael DaBreo, Owner Manny Stamatakis and Bryan Singh
Raphael Dabreo re-entered the Tri-State Tour winners' circle on the weekend of November 23-24 with an undefeated run through a field of 54, on hand for the $1,600-added, A-D handicapped 9-ball tournament, hosted by Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY. It was his third win on the 2013-2014 Tri-State tour, and his fourth win of the year, which included a September victory on the Predator Tour. DaBreo stopped a nine-match, loss-side winning streak by Matthew Harricharan to complete his undefeated run.
DaBreo's six-match trail to the win included two, double hill victories. He followed an opening round, 7-5 victory over Dan Faraguna, with a double hill win over Chris Karp, and a 7-4 win over Meshak Daniel, which set him up in a winners' side semifinal against Keith Adamik. Bryan Singh, in the meantime, squared off against Jamiyl Adams in the other semifinal. DaBreo and Adamik battled to double hill, before DaBreo prevailed for a hot seat matchup versus Singh, who'd downed Adams double hill, as well. DaBreo sent Singh to the semifinals 9-5 and waited in the hot seat for what turned out to be Harricharan.
Harricharan, who'd been sent to the loss side by Meshak Daniel, double hill, had chalked up four, before surviving two straight double hill battles against Tony Liang and Lidio Ramirez (who'd spoiled a rematch by defeating Meshak Daniel 7-2). This set Harricharan up to face Adamik. Adams drew Eric Hummel, who'd gotten by Kim Meyer-Gabia 7-3 and Pat Mareno 6-1.
Harricharan stopped Adamik one game shy of a third straight double hill match ,7-5, and in the quarterfinals, faced Adams, who'd defeated Hummel 7-4. Harricharan then chalked up a third double hill win, defeating Adams in those quarterfinals, and then, defeating Singh in the semifinals 8-4 for a shot against DaBreo.
Harricharan took an early 2-0 lead in the finals and maintained it through the sixth match. Down 2-4, DaBreo took command at that point, winning five straight to claim his third 2013-2014 Tri-State title.
Tour representatives expressed their thanks to Manny Stamatakis and his staff at Steinway Billiards for their hospitality, playing conditions and on-going support of the tour and its players. They also thanked sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Qpod, Heptig Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. The next stop on the tour is scheduled for November 30 at Gotham Billiards in Brooklyn, NY.
