When they met in the finals of the Feb. 1-2 stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, they were both looking to capture their second-ever title on the tour. Josh Heeter captured his first title anywhere with a win on the tour, just over a year ago, when he lost his opening match and won 11 on the loss side to meet and double dip Brian White. Heeter was also runner-up to BJ Ussery in a tour event in October, and 4th in an event, also won by Ussery, in June. Norris Brady was making his first appearance on the tour since June of 2018, a year in which he won a stop on the tour and finished in the money two other times; 9th in the earlier NC State 9-Ball Championships (March) and 13th at a stop in June. Brady was also the tour’s first tour champion in 2013. They met twice in this most recent event in both sets of a double elimination final with Brady in the hot seat and Heeter having won three on the loss side to meet him. Heeter took the opening set of that final to force a second set, won by Brady. The event drew 68 entrants to Gate City Billiards Club in Greensboro, NC.
They’d both advanced to a winners’ side semifinal. Heeter, facing Clay Davis and Brady, squaring off against Stevie McClinton. Davis sent Heeter to the loss side, as Brady was busy defeating McClinton 9-5. Brady gave up only a single rack, claiming the hot seat 9-1.
Butts prevailed in a double hill fight versus McClinton (5-6) and was joined in the quarterfinals by Heeter, who’d eliminated Ritchie 8-4. Heeter then eliminated Butts 8-2 in those quarterfinals to earn himself a rematch against Davis in the semifinals.
Heeter wreaked his vengeance on Davis 8-4, loading himself up on momentum that carried over into the first set of the double elimination final against Brady. Heeter took that opening set 8-1, so they loaded up for a second meet. This one stretched out a bit, as they both looked to claim the title. They battled to double hill before Brady prevailed to claim the event title.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards Club, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Professor Q-Ball. The next stop on the tour, scheduled for Feb. 7-8, will be a $1,000-added event, hosted by The Clubhouse in Lynchburg, VA.
Though still a long way from beating his best earnings year to date (2005), BJ Ussery is making an “I’m back” statement on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour this year. On the weekend of October 12-13, he added his sixth victory on the tour since February with an undefeated run through a field of 40 entrants at Gate City Billiards in Greensboro, NC. In addition to his six victories on the tour, Ussery has also tallied three runner-up finishes, a 3rd, 4th and 7th-place finish, as well as a victory on the Southeast Open 9-Ball Tour.
Ussery faced separate opponents in the hot seat match and finals of this event, both of whom were also looking to add to their win totals on the 2019 tour. In the hot seat match, he battled Jeff Abernathy, who was seeking his third win on the 2019 tour. In the finals, Ussery faced Josh Heeter, who’d been defeated in the third round of play and won seven matches on the loss side to face him in the finals, hoping to chalk up his second victory on the 2019 tour.
Ussery advanced to a winners’ side semifinal against Anthony Mabe, as Abernathy squared off against Jeff Little. Ussery got into the hot seat match with a 12-3 victory over Mabe. He was joined by Abernathy, who’d shut Little out. Ussery claimed the hot seat 12-3 and waited on what turned out to be Heeter.
Three matches into his loss-side winning streak, Josh Heeter eliminated Matt Raden 8-2 and then shut out Tim Nelson to draw Little, coming over from the winners’ side semifinal. Mabe picked up Reené Driskill, who’d recently defeated Hunter Apple 4-2 and shut out Sydney Cork to reach him.
Heeter and Little locked up in a double hill fight that did eventually send Heeter to the quarterfinals 8-4 (Little racing to 5). Mabe joined him, following a 7-2 win over Driskill.
Heeter, who entered the quarterfinals having given up only six racks in his last 30 games, kept it at six racks in his last 38 games with a shutout over Mabe. He then gave up only four to Abernathy, who was racing to 9, to advance to the finals against Ussery.
As might have been expected, Ussery and Heeter locked up in a double hill fight to claim the event title. Ussery prevailed 12-7 to chalk up his sixth Q-City 9-Ball title in 2019.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Professor Q-Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (October 19-20) will be hosted by Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
One week after posting a report that speculated on the ‘return’ of BJ Ussery to the world of top level pool competition, Ussery dominated a field of 39 entrants at another stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour (Aug. 18-19) and went undefeated to claim his first (reported) win in over six years. Though a strict closing time at the Gate City Billiards Club in Greensboro, NC prevented a final match against Zac Leonard, Ussery did go otherwise undefeated to claim the title.
Ussery and Leonard met first in the battle for the hot seat. Ussery had faced and defeated Jeff Little 11-2 in one winners’ side semifinal, as Leonard was sending Bradley Barker to the loss side 7-2 in the other one. Ussery claimed the hot seat 11-3 in what proved to be his last match of the weekend.
On the loss side, Little and Barker walked right into their second straight loss. Barker faced JR Poste, who’d defeated Wayne Church 6-3 and Lester Douglas 6-1 to reach him. Little picked up Bo Blakely, who’d eliminated Joe Woo and Michael Moore, both 6-4.
Blakely and Poste advanced to the quarterfinals with identical 6-3 wins over Little and Barker, respectively. By the same score, Blakely won the quarterfinal match against Poste that followed.
In the final match, the semifinals, Blakely and Leonard battled to double hill, before Leonard finished it at 7-5 to earn a second shot against Ussery in the hot seat. The venue enforced its strict closing time, and as the undefeated hot seat occupant, Ussery, having defeated Leonard in the hot seat match, was declared the event’s official winner.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards Club, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Professor Q-Ball. The Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour will return to Steakhorse Restaurant and Billiards for its next stop, a $1000-added event, scheduled for this weekend (Aug. 25-26). The added-money will increase to $1,500 if the event draws 80 entrants and to $2,000 with 100 entrants.
