Archive Page

Shlemperis wins his first 2016 Predator stop

Marvin Phisitkraiyakorn, Dave Shlemperis and Xavier Romero

It's been something of a 'dry' year for Dave Shlemperis, who divides his time between the Predator and Tri-State Tours. He's a B+ player on both tours and has participated in 19 total events, nine on the Predator Tour, but until the weekend of June 18-19, he had yet to record an event win. According to our records, he had his second best earnings year in 2015, when he won a stop on the Tri-State Tour and cashed in eight other events. His best year was 2013, when he won a stop on the Predator Tour, a Second Chance event on the Joss Tour, and cashed in 10 other events. Shlemperis went undefeated to chalk up his first 2016 victory on the weekend of June 18-19, during a $1,000-added, double-points stop on the Predator Tour that drew 57 entrants to Cue Bar in Bayside (Queens), NY.
 
Shlemperis had to get by Martin Phisitkraiyakorn twice in this event; once, in the hot seat, and again, in the finals. Shlemperis had defeated Lidio Ramirez 7-6 in one winners' side semifinal, as This was sending Javier Romero to the loss side 7-3 in the other. Shlemperis got into the hot seat with an 8-3 win over Phisitkraiyakorn, and waited on his return.
 
On the loss side, Ramirez picked up Carl Yusuf Khan, who'd defeated Matthew Harricharan and Fernando Paulino, both double hill, to reach him. Romero drew Troy Deocharran, who picked up a forfeit victory over Lucas Fracas, and survived a double hill fight versus Thomas Schreiber. 
 
Ramirez and Romero advanced to the quarterfinals; Ramirez 7-4 over Khan and Romero, double hill over Deocharran. Romero took the quarterfinal match over Ramirez 8-4 and advanced to a   re-match against Phisitkraiyakorn in the semifinals.
 
Romero chalked up one more rack against Phisitkraiyakorn, than he had in their winners' side semifinal match, but it was Phisitkraiyakorn, advancing to a re-match versus Shlemperis with a 7-4 win. Shlemperis claimed the event title with an 8-3 re-match victory over Phisitkraiyakorn in the finals.

Shaw goes undefeated, Astashian comes from the loss side to win Predator Open/Pro & Amateur

Hunter Lombardo, Jayson Shaw, Mike Wong & Gotham City Billiards Room Owner Kevin Buckley

Jayson Shaw picked up his third 2016 title on the weekend of March 19-20. Following his wins at the Derby City 10-Ball Challenge and the New England Pool and Billiard Hall of Fame 9-Ball Open, he went undefeated in the Open/Pro event on the Predator Tour. In the Amateur event on the same weekend, Steve Astashian came from the loss side to defeat Nayan Roy and pick up his first win on the Predator Tour. The amateur event drew 84 entrants to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY. The Open/Pro event drew 13.
 
Shaw's undefeated path to the winners' circle in the Open/Pro event went through Mike Wong twice. Fresh off a double hill win over Hunter Lombardo in a winners' side semifinal, Shaw faced Wong, who'd sent Frankie Hernandez to the loss side 7-5. Shaw shut Wong out and waited in the hot seat for Round Two.
 
On the loss side, Hernandez picked up Gotham City House Pro Jorge Rodriguez, who'd gotten by Brandon Hernandez 7-1 and Mike Dechaine 7-3. Lombardo drew Tony Robles, who'd defeated Koka Davladze 7-5 and Brooke Meyer 7-1. Two 7-4 wins over Robles and Hernandez put Lombardo and Rodriguez in the quarterfinals, won by Lombardo 7-1. 
 
Two straight double hill battles followed, with Wong downing Lombardo in the semifinals, and Shaw, completing his undefeated run and claiming the title in the finals.
 
Astashian's path to victory in the Amateur event went through Nayan Roy twice. He'd sent Riyadh Benghalem to the loss side 7-3 in a winners' side semifinal to face Roy in the hot seat match. Roy had sent Dan Faraguna west 7-5. Roy claimed the hot seat in a double hill win over Astashian and waited for him to get back.
 
On the loss side, Faraguna picked up Javier Romero, who'd picked up a forfeit win over Carmine Andujar and defeated Edwin Gutkin 7-3. Benghalem got Willie Santiago, who'd downed "Devil" Dave Ascolese 7-4 and Arturo Reyes, double hill. Faraguna and Benghalem advanced to the quarterfinals; Faraguna, 7-4 over Romero and Benghalem, double hill over Santiago.
 
Benghalem chalked up a second straight double hill win with a victory over Faraguna in those quarterfinals, and was then eliminated by Astashian 7-2 in the semifinals. The second meeting between Astashian and Roy, in the finals, was another double hill battle, but this one went to Astashian to complete his first Predator Tour win.