When you send an opponent to the loss side in a tournament's opening round, you have every right to expect that you've seen the last of that player. The road back is just so long and fraught not only with the vagaries of the games and tables, but one's own perception that with one foot  in the elimination bucket already, one slip-up will finish you. Bubba Porcell went undefeated through a field of 43, on-hand for the $1,500-added 1st Annual Secrets 9-Ball Open, held on the weekend of August 1-2 at Secrets Bar & Billiards in Shreveport, LA. Not, however before having a bit of a scare tossed at him by Brad Weast, whom he'd sent to the loss side in the opening  round. Weast came all the way back through 10 loss-side opponents, and won the opening set of a true double elimination final, before Porcell settled down and defeated him a second time to claim the event title.

 

With Weast (as far as Porcell was concerned) safely out of his way, Porcell advanced to a winners' side semifinal against David Ringler. Clint Freeman and Chris "Fish Hook" Brown squared off in the other. Freeman, apparently not fooled by the 'fish hook,' survived a double hill battle against Brown, while Porcell sent Ringler to the loss side 7-4. Porcell claimed the hot seat by the same score over Freeman, and watched, as Weast got closer and closer.

 

On the loss side, with five down and five to go, Weast defeated Don Williams 7-4 and Zeke Morrison 7-2, to draw Brown. Ringler picked up Kent Bervhelot, who'd eliminated Jason Rusk and Cliff Thomason 7-5. Brown and Ringler picked up their second straight loss, both 7-5, to Weast and Bevhelot.

 

Weast took the quarterfinal match over Bevhelot 7-4 and survived a semifinal, double hill fight versus Freeman in the semifinals. With clear title to the 'momentum' tag, Weast took the double elimination opening set 7-5. Porcell, however, shrugged it off, returned the 7-5 favor and claimed the 1st Annual Secrets 9-Ball Open title.