Diamond Derby City Classic XXII, January 24-Feb.2, 2020

 

Caesars Southern Indiana, Elizabeth, IN

 

David Thomson

 

DIAMOND BIG FOOT CHALLENGE

 

LIVE from the Accu-Stats TV Arena

 

Format: Race to 11, single elimination, alternate break, all balls count, except the 10 on the break. It’s respotted..

 

Saturday’s Results

 

Alex and Shane had the arena in silence. You could hear a ball drop. And, there were lots of them. Neither player got ahead by far, as they capitalized on most opportunities to win their inning, Alex’s position was pin point. Shane’s break and shot making had tied the score at around 9-9.

 

Then their breaks dried up. Alex was on the hill. His break didn’t respond. Shane took control and got a little funny on the 8 and left a cross-side bank and perfect shape on the 10. The problem was, he missed the bank! a few safeties later, Alex had a long, almost straight, 10 into the corner. Calm and focused, he let his cue run free. “Oh yeah,” he exclaimed.

 

Alex awaited either Filler or Vann Corteza. You can guess who his choice was.

 

Filler and Corteza was another neck-and-neck match that could have gone either way–until Lee Vann was behind 7-6.

 

A crazy Corteza miss sent balls squirming, and the 10 into the hole. His luck wasn’t done yet. Kicking at a Filler snooker, the 6 kissed the 10 into the side. Within minutes, he was ahead 8-7. 

 

Then, it was Filler’s time to get a little luck. On his break, whitey was speeding towards scratching. Within inches of doom, the 8 caromed off of it into pocket. Filler held his serve. They both held their nerve until, at 10-9, Corteza had a decision to make. He had no pocket for the 3, which was about 8 feet away, nestled near a cluster by the 10.

 

You could hear his mind’s wheels grinding, “Should I stay or should I go?” Caramba, luck won’t fail me now! The 10 slammed into the back of the pocket! He was in the semi’s. Josh was in shock.

 

Morra’s calm may have had a hypnotic effect on Shaw. Seemingly subdued from his usually aggressive, “go get ‘em” approach, he trailed 3-7 before John lost a little focus. Plus, this game of millimeters, began to curse him.

 

Shaw, took a time out. “I left the arena, cleared my head, and returned with the attitude of starting all over again.”

 

He won the next 4 games. Morra was being punished for his lapse. Luck favors the brave. Jayson, did slop in a ball yet, he had truly found his firepower while John had lost just enough of his finesse. He garnered only one more game.

 

Shaw, comfortably, closed out the match 11-8.

 

On a note of honorable mention, the normally emotionless Morra never lost his sense of humor.

 

Understandably, the DCC audience is really spoiled. They expect excellence. Shaw pulled a 3 rail, table-length long draw shot to land in perfect position. There was not a whisper or applause. “You didn’t like that,” Jayson joked aloud? 

 

“Tough room.” commented Morra, smiling from his seat.

 

The consequences of loss, perhaps, had Corey and Django off to a cautious start. It seems, when we compound caution with misses, it hurts our confidence. “When I saw Corey missing, too, it helped my confidence,” considered Bustamante. “I thought, he must be nervous, too.”

 

Bustey strode ahead and led the throughout the match. Corey, still smooth stroking, was playing catch-up. Even when down 5-10, Corey made a valiant effort at a comeback but, to no avail.

 

He later admitted that earlier in the match, “One ball. That swing cost me six racks.” That’s the nature of our sport when competing with the best.

 

Results: Sunday

 

Alex Pagulayan .937 def. Shane Van Boening  .910 11-9

Lee Vann Corteza .915 def. Joshua Filler .913 11-9

Jayson Shaw def. John Morra .864 11-8

Francisco Bustamante .861 def. Corey Deuel .805

 

BIG Foot 10-ball Semis and finals on Monday.

 

2pm: Alex Pagulayan vs. Lee Vann Corteza

4pm: Jayson Shaw vs. Francisco Bustamante

9pm: Finals

 

Don’t miss a stroke at accu-stats.com

 

DIAMOND BANK POOL CHAMPIONSHIP

 

Short Rack. Race to 3.

 

451 began. At last accounting, there were about 30.

 

7 are unbeaten: Brumback, Bustey, Filler, Evan Lunda, Orcollo, Pagulayan, and Thorpe

 

Efren is gone. Fresh from finding out that he will receive the honorable Philippine Sportswriters Association Lifetime Achievement Award, always humble, he stumbled into his first defeat: Beaten 3-2 by local hero James Flood.

 

As a Kentucky native, you know James can bank. ”I’ve been waiting my whole life to get a shot at Efren.” Worth the wait, we’re sure. Not everyone can say they sent Efren Reyes to the buy-back booth.

 

Next round, still reeling, Efren had a close encounter with Ryan Hollingsworth. In the deciding game, Ryan needed 2 balls, Reyes required 1. He made a respectable effort at a 4 railer. Then, when he got a shot at a short rail bank–Nothing but net.

 

Reyes let out a real rebel yell when that winning ball dropped. At 65, his passion is alive and well. 

 

The yell was short lived. Next on his hit list was not quite unknown Nederlander Tim DeRuyter. Talk about unsuspecting, his wiki page doesn’t even mention 1-Pocket.

 

His dream, much like James Flood’s, was to get a shot at the Master. “I have waited my whole life to play Efren. When I heard he’d retired, I thought I’d missed my chance.”

 

Efren, shrugging it all off, was last seen in search of his One-Pocket opponent.

 

Remember Chris Melling being talked into buying back after his despondence after his first round loss to 2004 Bank Pool Champion Jason Miller?

 

It was Tony Chohan who, finally, handed Melling his marching papers…in the 7th round! Wait ’til he sees those All-Around bonus points.

 

Jayson Shaw takes no prisoners. Whom did he eliminate? Skyler Woodward.

 

Mika, too, as he delivered Shane his first loss. 

 

Lastly, it’s Larry Nevel who deserves serious credit. From his wheelchair, he battered Bergman to earn a berth with last year’s Bank Champion, the currently undefeated Billy Thorpe.

 

DIAMOND ONE POCKET CHAMPIONSHIP

 

365 entries, up 20 from last year!

 

Alex, confidently refreshed by his 10-Ball bout with Van Boening, he ran into Josh Roberts in the opening round of the One Pocket. Josh was not happy at the buy back booth. “I didn’t have a chance. Alex played perfect. He even broke and ran 8-and-out in the last rack!”

 

There’s more where that came from. Check in tomorrow.

 

Accu-Stats thanks its Arena Sponsors: Diamond Billiards, Simonis Cloth, Cyclop Balls, Cuetec Cues, Cue and Case, MEZZ Cues, McDermott Cues, National Billiard Academy.