Diamond Derby City Classic XXIII, January 21-29, 2022
Caesars Southern Indiana, Elizabeth, IN
David Thomson
The Diamond BIG Foot Challenge
LIVE from the Accu-Stats TV Arena
Format: Race to 11, single-elimination, alternate break, foul on all balls, no jump cues. 10-Ball caroms and combos win. Mosconi Cup captains Jeremy Jones and Mark Wilson are in the Accu-Stats’ commentary booth: Enjoy and learn.
Accu-Stats is happy to report that re consummate commentator Danny DiLiberto’s recent health issues, he is well on the way to full loquacity.
Saturday’s action commenced with 2012 DCC Bank Pool master John Morra and 2018 BIG Foot maestro Roberto Gomez.
Morra couldn’t quite find his Mr. Smooth stroke while Gomez caught a gear that led to a convincing 11-7 win.
Joshua Filler, always in “Killer” stroke, made it near impossible for Alex Kazakis to find his. 11-6 tells all.
Mezz Cues sponsored, former World 9-Ball and back-to-back US Open Champion Mika Immonen in a heated contest with 2-time World 14.1 semi-finalist Max Eberle.
Eberle had the better of the opening racks and was truly living up to the title of his respected instructional, “Playing in the Zone.”
His Accu-Stats’ TPA was 1.000 until Mika finally was allowed to the table. Then, the battle began. Back-and-forth they traded racks until Mika was first to the hill at 10-9.
Max was well on his way to tying it up until leaving precariouss position on the 9-Ball. Safety not being an option required cutting the dodgy 9 then, spinning the cue-ball 4 to 5 rails round the horn to arrive near the 10 lying a few inches from the bottom cushion.
Max stroked firmly thru the cue ball and the yellow stripe powered crisply into the corner.
What lies 3.5 rails ahead? The corner pocket. The new Diamond spotted orb kept rolling, and rolling, and rolling until, around its final rotation, it dropped into the bucket.
Multiple DCC titlist and newly bespectacled Alex Pagulayan went toe-to-toe with 2-time World Pool Master and regular Mosconi Cup member David Alcaide.
Alex knows better than to take the Spaniard lightly though his entertaining spirit could not be suppressed.
While Alex was down on a shot, a spectator’s cell phone blared. Without missing a beat, he declared, “I told you to call when he shooting: Wrong game plan.”
Soon they were 9-9. Then, with Alcaide running out on the hill, and Alex a little slumped in his seat, it looked like it was over.
Wait; daylight. Alcaide missed a combo that left the 7 buried deep in the Diamond pro-cut pocket..
Pagulayan sprang from his chair. He now had a seemingly, simple combo on the buried orb. He rolled the connecting ball so slowly that it didn’t have enough power to drop the 7.
Alas, that’s all she rolled.
Their very respectable, Accu-Stats TPAs tell all: .924 and .891 respectively.
David moves on to meet Mika in the Semis.
Diamond BANK POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Short Rack. Race to 3.
From 457 now 50 remain in round 7 at press time on Sunday.
EFREN REYES will have to return next year to resume his DCC Bank Pool Champion aspirations, In round 6, he was ousted by a very pleased Kevin Ping.
The Semis and Finals will be live-streamed via Accu-Stats PPV OnDemand on Tuesday evening.
DIAMOND BIG FOOT 10-BALL CHALLENGE: Fri. Jan. 21 – Sun. Jan 23. 2022.
Diamond Derby City Classic BANK POOL Championship: Fri. Jan. 21 – Sun. Jan. 23. 2022. Semis and Finals in the Accu-Stats TV Arena: Tuesday evening, Jan 25.
Diamond Derby City Classic ONE-POCKET Championship: Sun Jan. 23 -Wed. Jan. 26. Semis and Finalsin the Accu-Stats TV Arena, Thursday evening, Jan 27.
Diamond Derby City Classic 9-BALL Championship: Wed. Jan 26 – Sat. 29.
And the cream of the mafch-ups available via the Accu-Stats Pay-Per-View OnDemand, 4-camera HD production. Approximately, 60 action-packed hours of pro-pool is projected, PLUS reruns. After each match concludes, it is uploaded and available to you. With PPV OnDemand, you choose when you view, no matter what you’re timezone.
The 34th Annual Music City Open was once again hosted by JOB’s Billiards in Madison, TN – a suburb of Nashville. Played on seven foot Diamonds, $7,000 was added to the event. Owner Ricky Gamble and his staff went all out to welcome all the players and fans.
Kicking off the event on Wednesday evening was a single elimination open 9 ball mini tournament. Sixty four players joined the fray – format was races to seven, winner breaks.
Directed by our own Ray Hansen, the field was whittled down to four players. Manny Perez handily beat Josh O’Neal 7-0 while James Davee beat Jeremiah Petty 7-3 to move into the finals. Due to the late hour, Manny and James decided to split the pot.
The $6,000 added Open 9 Ball division began the following evening. 127 players paid their $100 entry fees into this double elimination event. Races were to eleven with winner breaks. Following the players meeting, a rousing players auction and draw, play began.
Notable matches in the first round action saw John Gabriel thump Chris Baskerville 11-1 as did Shane Wolford over Raed Shabib 11-3. Brian Bryant had a bit of a tougher time with cuemaker Mike Durbin – the final score was 11-7. Young guns Sergio Rivas smoked Tracy Blevins 11-2 while Manny Perez defeated Steve Legace 11-3. John Hennessee blitzed Bob Ferrell 11-0 and Dave Matlock notched a forfeit over Jesse Couch.
In the second round and still having a fairly easy time of it, Tulsa’s John Gabriel then defeated Dominick Iraggi 11-3. Shane Wolford, owner of the Wolf’s Den in Roanoke, VA made short work of Mark Nanashee 11-4 and Jeremiah Petty skunked Brandon Andre 11 zip. Manny Perez claimed victory over Chris Busby 11-5 and Hennessee spanked Michael Williamson 11-3. Robert Hall defeated Ron Frank 11-7, James Davee outran Andrew Stroup 11-8 and Mike Gann forfeited his match to Josh O’Neal.
Legendary bar box king Dave Matlock had his hands full with the straight shooting Sergio Rivas. Hoping for a flashback, Dave played well but Sergio took him down 11-7.
Third round action saw John Gabriel run into a buzz saw named Shane Wolford. Catching up to the great breaking Shane a couple of times, Wolford finally pulled away to a 10-6 lead. No slouch himself, John clawed his way back to tie it up at ten apiece! In a heartbreaker of a game, a relieved Shane finally edged him out.
Other matches from that round had Rivas easing past Tab Pranee 11-5 as Chuck Raulston eased past Steve Cruse 11-2. Seemingly unable to find his game, Manny Perez was smoked by Rusty Jackson 11-3 and Hennessee from Tennessee took care of Anthony Gunn 11-5. Joey Yarbrough was no threat to Robert Hall – he lost 11-2 while James Davee wrestled Lee Uhles for an 11-8 win.
With both the Open and Ladies event in full swing, Saturday night was ground zero for the Midnight Madness nine ball mini. Eight players put up a $500 entry fee. Format was single elimination with races to eleven and winner breaks. Shane Wolford and Hennessee were the last men standing – they also decided to split the pot.
After a scare in his previous match with John Gabriel, Shane Wolford cruised to an 11-2 victory over Scott Roberts and Rivas was in the zone with an 11-1 win over Gene Drerup. Raulston sent Kevin Ping packing – same score – 11-1.
After his big win over Manny Perez, Rusty Jackson had his hands full with Hennessee – he lost 11-7. James Davee also survived a tough one – he defeated Joey Yarbrough 11-9.
Playing great, Wolford swept past Chip Gaither 11-2. Same great play by Rivas got him past Chuck Raulston 11-6 while Hennessee sent Davee west 11-6.
As the Open 9 Ball played on, the $1,000 added Ladies Division began on Friday night. Forty two players entered this double elimination event – format was races to seven with winners break. As always, there was a players meeting and auction followed by the draw.
The ladies played down to the final four on the winners side. Nicole Keeney defeated Amanda Huff 7-3 and Amy Theriault was defeated by Edie Dean. Edie & Nicole advanced to the hot seat match where Nicole breezed through the match and locked up her berth in the finals 7-1. Edie headed west to await an opponent.
After losing her first match, Laura Kanov’s run to the finals was finally thwarted by Julie Skirpac 7-3. Laura finished in fourth place. Julie then went on to face Edie Dean but lost 7-5. She finished third – Edie would get another shot at Nicole in the finals.
Since this was a double elimination event, Edie would have to win two sets to claim the title. She won the first two games but Nicole came roaring back to win the next four. Edie managed to put two more games on the board but it wasn’t enough – Nicole took the match and the title 7-4! Fantastic tournament for both players!!!
Finally down to four on the winners side in the Open event, Wolford made short work of Brian Bryant 11-5 while Rivas outlasted Hennessee 11-7. Sergio and Shane headed to the hot seat match – their opponents slogged over to the one loss side of the chart.
The hot seat match was all Shane Wolford. He kept Rivas pretty much nailed to his chair and moved undefeated into the finals – 11-4.
On the other side of the brackets, Bryant and Mike Gann battled – Gann was eliminated 11-8. On the other table, Josh O’Neal and Hennessee took it down to the wire – Josh was eliminated 11-10. After escaping his previous match, Hennessee tortured Brian Bryant 11-1 – Brian finished in fourth place.
Fighting to claim the remaining berth in the finals and looking to avenge his previous loss to Rivas, Hennessee was taking no prisoners this time. Hennessee defeated Sergio 11-6 and headed to the finals. Sergio finished in third place.
As this was double elimination, Wolford would have to be beaten twice for Hennessee to win the tournament. By mid-match, it was tied at five apiece. Shane won the next three games – making it 8-5. Could he run out the set?!!!
Nope!!! Hennessee rallies and ties it up at eight!!! Wins the next game and takes his first lead of the match!!! His lead didn’t last long though as Shane tied it up again at nine games each but once again, Hennessee won the next game. He was on the hill – 10-9. Could he win this last game and force a second set?
Not so fast!!! He scratched on the break!!! A dejected Hennessee slowly walked back to the chair to watch Shane run out the rack making it 10-10!!!
Making the one on the break, he had a wide open rack! Methodically running the balls but leaving himself a little long on the seven, he took a deep breath and rifled it in to win the event!!! Great tournament for both players!!!
PoolActionTV.com would like to again thank Ricky Gamble and local sponsor Action 24/7 for another fabulous event. Tournament Director Jason Hill – ably assisted by Steve McDonald – did an excellent job coordinating the various events.
We’d also like to thank our sponsors and fans. Our sponsors include JB Cases, Hanshew Jump Cues, StraightPoolEye, Lomax Custom Cues, Diamond, Durbin Custom Cues, Simonis, Aramith, the Action Palace of Dayton, OH and Fort Worth Billiards Superstore of Fort Worth, TX.
Our next stop is the long awaited Derby City Classic in New Albany, IN – dates are January 21st-29th. As always, we hope to see you there and in our Aramith Action Room!!!
In a final, race-to-six match that took 12 minutes, Billy Fowler and Justin Duncan defeated Kevin Ping and Tony Wall in the second set of a true double elimination final at the May 30-31 stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour. The $500-added Scotch Doubles event drew 48 teams of two to Break & Run Billiards in Chesnee, SC.
The event finalists met first in the hot seat match. Fowler and Duncan had sent Hayleigh Marion, a junior player, and Janet Atwell to the loss side 6-4. Ping and Wall had defeated Team Abernathy (brothers Jeff and John) 6-3. Two out of three of the matches that Fowler/Duncan and Ping/Wall played went double hill and the hot seat match was the first of them. Fowler/Duncan claimed the hot seat and waited for Ping/Wall to get back from the semifinals.
In the first money round, battling to get into the quarterfinals, Zayas and Messer leapfrogged into those quarterfinals when Hayleigh and Atwell could not return to compete on Sunday and forfeited. Team Abernathy, in the meantime, survived a double hill battle against Hollingsworth/Gabriel and joined Zayas/Messer.
A double hill fight eventually sent Ping and Wall to the semifinals over Zayas/Messer. Ping and Wall earned their second shot against Fowler/Duncan with a 6-4 win over Zayas/Messer.
In their second of three, the opening set of the true double elimination final, the two teams went double hill, before Ping and Wall prevailed to force a second set. Once the second match got underway, tour director Herman Parker chose to take a step outside. When he returned, moments later, the match was half over at 3-0 in favor of Fowler and Duncan.
According to Parker, the Fowler/Duncan team had chalked up three 9-ball combinations in a row to win those opening three games. They kept that pace up, and completed the second-set shutout that earned them the event title.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Break & Run Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZBilliards, and Tickler Pool Ball Washing Machine. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour will be held this weekend, June 6-7, and hosted by Randolph Billiards in Hickory, NC.
There was good news and bad news for tour directors Herman and Angela Parker last weekend. The scheduled stop on their Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour (Feb. 9-10) drew a hefty 114 entrants to Steakhorse Restaurant & Billiards in Spartanburg, SC, due, in part, to an ongoing four-day, $56K, 8-Ball battle between Justin Bergman and Corey Deuel at the same location. It was originally to have been a battle between Bergman and Jayson Shaw, but some (shall we say) differences of opinion emerged regarding the table particulars of that matchup and at the last minute, Deuel stepped in and agreed to play the match against Bergman; a best-of five sets, racing to 30, with Deuel getting three on the wire for each set. It’s not often that the Parkers get to play host to that many players, but when it became known that entrants to his tournament would be granted free admission to watch the challenge match, the numbers swelled. And predictably, with a lot of Pro types racing to 11, 12 and 13 games, their tournament went on a little longer than their normal weekend tournaments; like, 7 a.m. Monday morning longer.
Deuel won the challenge match 3-1, and it spilled over into Monday evening. A couple of the sets were close; close enough to question whether giving Deuel three on the wire in those circumstances was such a good idea for Bergman.
Brian White, who is the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour’s current Bar Box Champion (from an event held last September) and winner of another stop on the tour, two days before Christmas, was declared the official winner of the tour stop when, at 7 a.m. Monday morning, he and Steakhorse Restaurant and Billiards house pro, Roberto Gomez agreed to a split of the top two prizes. White was the hot seat occupant at the time. Gomez had spent a lot of time on the loss side, winning nine matches to get to the finals that didn’t happen.
There were several players of some renown who didn’t make it to the money rounds of the handicapped tournament. Francisco Bustamante and Tony Chohan were among them. White advanced through the field to arrive at a winners’ side semifinal match against Keith Yates. Francisco Felicilda, in the meantime, squared off against teenager Landon Hollinsworth.
White got into the hot seat match with an 11-3 win over Yates. Felicilda, also racing to 11, gave up only a single rack to Hollinsworth and joined White. White claimed the hot seat 11-9, in what proved to be his last match.
Gomez, in the meantime, after an early-round loss to Josh Miller was at work on the loss side, racing to 13 through it all. He got into the money rounds with a 13-3 victory over Kevin Ping (racing to 6), chalked up his sixth loss-side win against Junior Gabriel 13-1 and picked up the youngster, Hollinsworth, coming over from the winners’ side semifinal. Yates drew Raymund Faraon, who’d eliminated two members of the Frank family, back to back; Trey Frank, double hill (12-5) in the first money round and then, Trey’s father Ron, double hill (12-7) to meet Yates.
Faraon went on to win his third straight double hill match (12-4) over Yates. He was joined in the quarterfinals by Gomez, who’d eliminated Hollinsworth 13-2. Playing with one on the wire at the start in a race to 13 in those quarterfinals, Faraon had chalked up only five, when Gomez won his 13th and advanced to the semifinals.
Felicilda started the semifinal match against Gomez with two on the wire in a race to 13. He managed to get to 8, before Gomez finished it, about 10 minutes after daylight started painting the Spartanburg sky and 15 minutes ahead of the official sunrise at 7:16 a.m.
The decision to split the top two prizes was made, everyone settled up and tour directors Herman and Angela Parker went back to their hotel to catch a few hours sleep before they had to check out shortly after noon.
The Parkers thanked Steakhorse Restaurant and Billiards’ owner, Dayne Miller for his hospitality (to include added money) and his entire staff for what had to have been a hectic weekend. They also thanked 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 (Feb. 16-17), will be hosted by Gate City Billiards in Greensboro, NC.
On Saturday, October 6, Keith Bennett chalked up his second victory on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, and for the second time, it came without benefit of a final match. Bennett advanced undefeated to the hot seat and was scheduled to face Don Williams, who’d won eight in a row on the loss side (including a bye) to meet him. They opted out of final match, leaving Bennett, undefeated in the hot seat, as the official winner. The event drew 23 entrants to Shotmakers in Garner, NC.
With Williams already at work on the loss side, Bennett advanced to a winners’ side semifinal against Anthony Mabe, as Barry Mashburn faced Kristy Norris in the other one. Bennett downed Mashburn 11-5 and in the hot seat match, faced Mashburn, who’d defeated Norris in a double hill fight. Bennett claimed the hot seat 11-6 over Mashburn and waited for Williams to complete his loss-side run.
Williams, after an opening round loss to Billie Spatafora, was awarded a loss-side bye, and added three victories before downing Shaun Apple 8-4 and JT Ringgold 8-1, to draw Norris. Mabe picked up Kevin Ping, who’d eliminated Don Lilly 7-4 and James Blackburn, double hill (7-8). Mabe and Norris picked up their second straight loss and were eliminated; Mabe by Ping 7-5 and Norris 8-5 by Williams.
In the first money match, Williams downed Ping 8-5 in the quarterfinals. He completed his loss side run with an 8-6 victory over Mashburn. Williams and Bennett made the decision to forego a final match, allowing Bennett to capture his second straight Q City 9-Ball title in a little over a month.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Shotmakers, 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 (Oct. 13-14), will be hosted by The Clubhouse in Lynchburg, VA.
Wendell Thompkins got two shots at him, but couldn't get by Anthony Vallario, who went undefeated to win the May 10-11 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour. The $700-added event drew 28 entrants to Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Thompkins (racing to 9) had his first chance against Vallario in a winners' side semifinal, as Kevin Ping and Justin Martin were squaring off in the other one. Vallario (racing to 6) defeated Thompkins 6-5 and in the hot seat match, facEd Martin, who'd sent Ping to the losers' bracket 5-4. Martin battled Vallario to double hill, but Vallario prevailed to sit in the hot seat, awaiting the return of Thompkins.
Thompkins moved to the loss side and picked up Phillip Britt, who'd defeated Chad Lee 9-2 and Ken Cable 9-4. Ping drew Jason Martin (father to Justin), who'd gotten by Guy Faulk 6-2 and survived a double hill match against Matt Collins. Jason Martin downed Ping 6-1, as Thompkins was busy eliminating Britt 9-4. Thompkins then spoiled the possibility of a father-son semifinal with a defeat of the father, Jason, 9-3 in the quarterfinals. He then defeated the son, Jason, by the same score in the semifinals for a second shot at Vallario.
Thompkins fared better in the re-match, falling a game short of forcing a case game. Vallario, though, hung on to win 6-7 and claim the event title.
Tour director Shannon Daulton thanked the ownership and staff of Shore Thing Billiards, along with sponsors Nick Varner Cues & Cases, Delta-13, Ozone Billiards, Tiger Products, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Lomax Cues, and Universe Clothing. The 10th stop on the GSBT, scheduled for May 17-18, will be hosted by Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
