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Murphy holds off Stone challenge to go undefeated in GSBT 9-Ball event

They’re like footsteps creeping up behind you, those matches won by loss-side opponents looking to dethrone the occupant of a given tournament’s hot seat. Shannon Murphy heard them on the weekend of February 17-19, as he sat in the hot seat, waiting for Ryan Stone to complete a five-match, loss-side winning streak that propelled him into the finals. Murphy, though, took the opening set of what would have been a true double elimination final and finished the 9-ball segment of the weekend’s activities undefeated. The $1,500-added amateur event drew 55 entrants to Michael’s Billiards in Fairfield, OH.

Murphey was the only ‘AA’ player among the winners’ side final four, that included three ‘A’ players – Frank Ruby, Mike Brown and Billy Thorpe. Murphy got into the hot seat match with a commanding 11-1 victory over Thorpe, and was joined by Brown, who’d sent Stone west among the winners’ side final eight and then downed Ruby 9-7. Murphy moved into the hot seat with an 11-5 victory over Brown and sat listening for the footsteps.

Those Ryan Stone footsteps began  on the loss-side with an 11-3 victory over D.J. Holloway and an 11-8 win over Lee Holt, which set him up to face Thorpe. Ruby drew Clay Carmen, who’d downed Joe Pierce 7-2 and James Davis, Jr. 7-7. It was Stone and Ruby advancing to the quarterfinals; Stone with an 11-8 victory over Thorpe, and Ruby advancing 9-7 over Carmen.

With three down and two to go, Stone ended Ruby’s day with an 11-4 victory in the quarterfinals to earn a re-match against Brown in the semifinals. He completed his loss-side journey with a successful rematch victory over Brown 11-7. Murphy, though, put a stop to the winning streak. He took the first of what might have been two, with an 11-7 victory that secured the 9-ball title with an undefeated effort.

Beginning on Friday night, February 17, this GSBT event opened with a 32-player, bank pool mini-tournament, with races to 2 on the winners’ side and 1 on the loss side. Timmy Heath pocketed the first place prize of $300 with a finals victory over T.J. Bach, who went home with $200 for his effort. Greg Putnam finished third ($100) and Shane Winters finished fourth ($40). The weekend also entailed an 8-ball event that drew 52 entrants (see accompanying report).

Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Mike Medley and his staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.

Ussery goes undefeated to win GSBT Tour Championship/Carolina Open 9-Ball Title

B.J. Ussery has finished either first or second in 12 of the 17 tournaments in which he’s been officially entered since January 30, 2011. The streak began on that day with a victory on the Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour and continued this past weekend (November 9-14) with his second straight undefeated GSBT victory; this time in the 9-ball event of the Great Southern Billiard Tour Championships/Carolina Open. Ussery had to get by Carey Dunn twice – once, in the battle for the hot seat, and again, in the finals – to complete his undefeated trip through 68 entrants, who’d shown up at Fast Eddie’s in Goldsboro for the $5,000-guaranteed total purse event.

Until he ran into Larry Nevel among the winners’ side final four, Ussery (who had to reach 11 games) had given up only seven racks to four opponents; five of those to Sam Monday in the match that set up the match versus Nevel. Dunn, in the meantime, had sandwiched a double hill battle against Josh Newman, around a series of 9-3 victories that put him among the final four winners, facing Montez Lloyd. Dunn got into the hot seat match with a 9-5 win over Lloyd, as Ussery survived a double hill battle against Nevel. Ussery got into the hot seat with an 11-4 victory over Dunn and waited for him to get back.

Nevel moved over and picked up Lucas Hawkins, who’d defeated five opponents on the loss-side to reach him, including a victory over tour director Shannon Daulton, a 9-3 win over Joe Pierce and a double hill win over Glenn Russell. Lloyd faced Josh Newman, who’d survived a double hill battle versus Keith Bennett and gone on to defeat George Spires, Ron Park, and Alex Olinger

Hawkins, with a handicap advantage, dropped Nevel into the tie for fifth place 9-11, and moved on to the quarterfinals against Newman, who defeated Lloyd 11-7. Still working with a handicap advantage, Hawkins eliminated Newman 9-9 and turned to face Dunn in the semifinals. Dunn prevailed 9-8 for his second chance against Ussery.

Ussery needed only a single set of the true double elimination final to complete his undefeated bid. It was past dawn on Monday morning, November 14, when Ussery sunk the final ball to complete an 11-5 victory that secured the GSBT Tour Championship 9-Ball event.

A $50 prize was awarded to Terri Faulk for being the highest female finisher in the event. Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the owners and staff of Fast Eddie’s in Goldsboro, NC for their cooperation and hospitality in hosting the Tour Championships/Carolina Open, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. In addition to the guaranteed prize money, the event raised $1,200 for charity.