Handicappers might have been a little stressed trying to establish odds as to which of four competitors in the winners' side semifinals of the 3rd Annual Summer Heat 9-Ball Classic was actually going to win the thing. They had Charlie Bryant, Chip Compton, Shane McMinn and Joey Gray to consider. Gray came through in the end, completing an undefeated run through a field of 57, on hand for the $2,200-added event, hosted by Jamaica Joe's in Midwest City, OK.

 

A concurrently-run, $300-added Ladies event drew only eight entrants and was won, from the loss side, by Debi Aldridge, who double dipped Elise Gabriel in the finals. 

 

It was Bryant versus Compton and Gray versus McMinn in the winners' side semifinals. Compton sent Bryant west 9-7, while Gray was busy doing likewise to McMinn 9-5. Gray defeated Compton 9-4 to take command of the hot seat, and waited on what turned out to be the return of McMinn.

 

Bryant and McMinn got right back to work on the loss side. McMinn faced Donny Brown who'd gotten by Billy Dyke 9-7 and survived a double hill struggle against James Walden. Bryant picked up Keith Boon, who had his own double hill fight against Jeremy Hundley and an easier time with Steve Langiano 9-3. Bryant and McMinn advanced to the quarterfinals with identical 9-6 wins over Boon and Brown.

 

The winners' side semifinalists were now the event's final four. McMinn took the first step, defeating Bryant in the quarterfinals 9-7.  He then ended Compton's bid 9-5 in the semifinals and earned his rematch against Gray. Gray, though, completed his undefeated run with a second victory over McMinn, 9-3, to claim the 3rd Annual Summer Heat 9-Ball Classic title.

 

In the ladies' event, it was Elise Gabriel and Wendy Kent who faced each other in the battle for the hot seat. Gabriel won it 7-5 and waited on the eventual winner, Debi Aldridge. Kent moved over and was defeated 7-2 by Aldridge. Aldridge claimed the event title after winning a double hill battle in the finals' opening set, and followed that with a 7-2 victory.

Melissa Little went undefeated to win the Ladies portion of the 2nd Annual Summer Heat 9-Ball Classic, held under the auspices of the Midwest 9-Ball Tour and hosted by Jamaica Joe's in Midwest City, OK. Sean King gave up the first set of the double elimination finals, but came back to win the second and claim the Open title. The $2,000-added Open event drew 45 entrants, while the $500-added Ladies event drew 12.

 

King faced Chip Compton three times; the first, in a winners' side semifinal, as Mark Haddad and Richard Pierce squared off in the other. King sent Compton west in the first of their three 9-7, and in the hot seat match, met Pierce, who'd sent Haddad over by the same score. King and Pierce fought to double hill before King prevailed.

 

Compton moved over and picked up John Gabriel, who'd defeated James Walden 9-7 and survived a double hill battle against Ken Jennings to reach him. Haddad drew Shane McMinn, who'd gotten by Greg Hogue 9-7, and J.C Riley 9-3. Compton and Haddad advanced to the quarterfinals; Compton with a 9-6 win over Gabriel and Haddad 9-7 over McMinn.

 

Compton advanced to the semifinals with a 9-6 victory over Haddad, and then, denied Pierce a re-match against King with a 9-5 win. With momentum on his side, Compton took the opening set of the finals 9-1. King, though, came back in the second set to win it 9-5 and claim the event title.

 

In the Ladies' event, Melissa Little's undefeated run ended with two wins over Rhonda Pierce. They met first in the hot seat match, when Little sent Pierce to the semifinals 7-4. On the loss side, Debi Aldridge won the quarterfinal match over Michelle Davis 7-3, but was stopped by Pierce in a double hill, semifinal match. Little and Pierce fought to double hill in the finals, but Little survived to claim the Ladies' title.