Rack and Grill II was the host site for the WPBA Georgia State 9-Ball Championship. Owner, Kris Kuneman was celebrating his 70th Birthday on July 16 with family and friends while the women were celebrating the competition. Tiger SMART wishes Chris the happiest of Birthdays.
Tiger SMART was thrilled to see Nikki Benish Mancuso return to the arena having been away from the game since 2000. Nikki’s entourage, Father Ray Benish, husband Joe Mancuso and eleven year old son, Cameron were also her training team and showed what a good team they were. Nikki was consistently a top 16 ranked player while she was on the tour.
After losing 4-7 to Calhoun in the first round, Nikki tore through the loser’s bracket with wins over Krystal Kelson 7-4; Christi Steele 7-6; Marianne Merrill 7-6; Cheryl Pritchard 7-1; and Buffy Jolie 7-1 to get to the final match against Calhoun. Nikki was in dead punch and ran, going away 9-4 for the title. Congratulations to Nikki Mancuso for her WPBA Georgia State 9-Ball Championship.
Congratulations to all the players and to Buffy Jolie – 3rd; Cheryl Pritchard – 4th; Tiffany Stidham 5-6; Marianne Merrill 5-6; Lisa Cossette – 7-8; and Christi Steele – 7-8.
Tiger SMART would like to acknowledge Tiger Products, Simonis, Aramith, Quick-Clean, and Ozone Billiards for their continued support of our phenomenal sport.
Shannon Daulton Mike Mc Pherson, Scott Roberts, & Steve Compton (owner of Lucky Shot Billiards)
Mike McPherson survived two straight double hill matches to get into the hot seat of the Jun 30-July 1 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, and came within a game of facing and winning a third in the finals. In those finals, he stopped an eight-match, loss-side winning streak by Scott Roberts, to capture the event title. The $1,500-added event drew 43 entrants to Lucky Shot Billiards in Albemarle, NC.
McPherson battled Josh Heeter (both B players) to double hill among the winners’ side final four before prevailing to advance to the hot seat match. His opponent was Mark Patterson, a B player, who’d sent Dan Heidrich (AA) to the loss side 7-10. In another straight race to seven, McPherson prevailed double hill to gain the hot seat.
With three notches on his loss-side belt, Roberts, in the meantime, defeated Christi Steele and Kris Chavez, both 7-3, to reach Heidrich. Heeter drew Shawn Padgett, who’d gotten by Britt Carson 7-1 and survived a double hill struggle versus Mike Mauney, who’d been responsible for sending Roberts west in the event’s second round.
It was Padgett and Roberts advancing to the quarterfinals; Padgett 7-4 over Heeter, and Roberts 7-9 against Heidrich. It was all B players from that point, straight up races to seven. Roberts downed Padgett 7-3 and then gave up only two racks in a semifinal victory over Patterson.
Roberts battled McPherson to within a game of double hill, and the potential for a second set. McPherson, though, closed it out at 7-5 to take home top honors.
Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Lucky Shot Billiards’ owner Steve Compton and his staff as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. Next stop on the GSBT is set for July 14-15 at Michael’s in Fairfield, OH. The event will feature $1000-added events in both 8-ball and 9-ball, as well as a mini-banks tournament, scheduled to begin at 8 o’clock on Friday night, July 13.
Shannon Daulton, Darrin “Gilligan” Blitch, Jeffrey Wade, & Joel Cain (owner of Raisin’ Cain’s)
Darren Blitch went undefeated on the May 19-20 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, stopping a seven-match, loss-side challenge by Jeffrey Wade in the finals. The $1,000-added event drew 43 entrants to Raisin’ Cain’s in Inman, SC.
With Wade already on the loss side, Blitch moved among the winners’ side final four where he faced Tommy Barrett. Nathan Rose faced Christi Steele in the other winners’ side semifinal. Blitch sent Barrett west 7-3, as Rose defeated Steele 11-2. Blitch got into the hot seat with a 7-5 victory over Rose.
With two down and five to go, Wade defeated Derek Leonard and Scotty Ward, both 7-4, to pick up Steele. Barrett faced Zack Robbins, who’d sent Wade to the loss-side, followed him over, and defeated Mike Templeton 7-2 and Wendell Thompkins 7-6. Robbins downed Barrett 7-2 to set up a rematch versus Wade, who’d eliminated Steele 7-4. Wade exacted his revenge on Robbins, defeating him 7-5 in the quarterfinals.
Wade completed his loss-side run with a 7-5 victory over Rose in the semifinals. Blitch completed his undefeated weekend with a 7-3 victory in the finals.
Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the owners and staff at Raisin’ Cain’s, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.
