Billy Thorpe battled for years to chalk up his first win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, and on the weekend of July 14-15, he won his second in a little over a month. He won his first on June 3, and let one slip by him in Myrtle Beach before winning the second. He went undefeated both times. In his first GSBT win, he faced the same opponent in the hot seat and finals; Alex Olinger. This past weekend, he faced an opponent, Steve “Cupcake” Dillon, who’d won seven on the loss side to meet him in the finals. The $1000-added 9-ball event, on 9-ft. Diamond tables, and held concurrently with an 8-ball bar box tournament, drew 34 entrants to Michael’s Billiards in Fairfield, OH.

From among the winners’ side final four, Thorpe squared off against Lucas Hawkins, who’d placed second in the bar box 8-ball tournament. Adam Glover, in the meantime, met up with Tim Baron. Thorpe survived a double hill battle versus Hawkins, and in the hot seat, faced Glover, who’d defeated Baron 7-2. Thorpe got into the hot seat with a 9-4 victory over Glover, and watched Dillon’s march back to the finals.

Dillon, who’d been sent to the loss side by Corey Morphew (5/6th in the 8-ball), won four in a row to hook up with Hawkins, including a 7-5 victory over Chris Collins and a 7-4 win over Leo Kincannon, who finished both tournaments in the tie for seventh place. Baron drew Mike Burnette, who’d defeated Bill Trimble 6-2 and Dave Cross 6-4. Dillon and Hawkins battled to double hill before Dillon prevailed, advancing to the quarterfinals. He was met by Burnette, who’d survived his own double hill match against Baron.

Dillon ended Burnette’s day with a 7-2 win and then, dropped Glover into third place 7-4. Thorpe, though, spoiled Dillon’s bid for a successful, loss-side comeback with a 9-5 win in the opening set of a true double elimination final to secure the event title.

“We always appreciate the support and hospitality that is shown here at Michael’s,” said tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton. “(Owner Michael Medley) has a very player/spectator-friendly room and we’re all thankful to him and his staff.”

The Daultons also thanked sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.

Charlie Hans, a C-player, worked his way through a late bunch of A and B players in the $1000-added, 8-ball, bar box event on the Great Southern Billiard Tour on the weekend of July 14-15, and came away with the win. The event, held concurrently with a separate, $1,000-added 9-ball tournament, drew 44 entrants to Michael’s Billiards in Fairfield, OH.

By the time this 8-ball event had been reduced to 12 players, Hans was the only “C” standing. Among the winners’ side final four, he squared off against Rick Gymati (B), as Lucas Hawkins (A) met up with Leo Campos (B). Hans survived a double hill match against Gymati, and in the hot seat match, faced Hawkins, who’d survived his own double hill struggle versus Campos. Hans chalked up another double hill victory in the hot seat match and waited for Hawkins to come back.

Campos moved over to pick up Corey Morphew (A), who’d defeated Gary Link 6-3 and Justin Lazaro, double hill, to reach him. Gymati drew Brad Gibson, who’d gotten by Joey Koontz and Leo Kincannon, both 5-3. Morphew and Gymati advanced to the quarterfinals on the heels of double hill wins over Campos and Gibson, respectively.

Gymati chalked up his second straight double hill win in the quarterfinals against Morphew, and then ran into a determined Hawkins in the semifinals. Hawkins shut Gymati out to earn a second chance against Hans in a true double elimination final.

Hawkins gave up only a single rack in the opening set to force a second. Hans, though, turned the tables on him, giving up only a single rack in the second set to secure the event title.

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff of Michael’s Billiards 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.

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. 

He’d finished second, fifth and seventh (three times) on the Great Southern Billiard Tour this year. He’d taken second place in both the Derby City One-Pocket Mini, and on a Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour stop. Safe to say, Sam Monday came to the Great Southern Billiard Tour Championships/Carolina Open on the weekend of November 9-14, looking for a win. And got one. He joined a field of 57 entrants, on-hand for the $3,000-guaranteed total purse 8-Ball event, hosted by Fast Eddie’s in Goldsboro, NC, got sent to the loss-side from among the winners’ side final eight, fought his way through back through five matches into a double elimination final, and then took down hot seat occupant, Larry Nevel, twice.

From Monday’s perspective, the man with the big target on his back was Chris Turner, who’d sent him to the loss-side. Turner went on to face Billy Thorpe among the winners’ side final four, as Nevel was busy with Alex Olinger. Turner got into the hot seat match with a 6-1 victory over Thorpe, but Nevel, who’d sent Olinger west 8-6, kept him out of the hot seat with an 8-5 win.

Monday, in the meantime, in his first loss-side match, drew B.J. Ussery, who was simultaneously working his undefeated way to a victory in the 9-Ball event. Monday stopped Ussery’s 8-Ball bid right there 7-1, and went on to a 7-3 victory over Mike Cone that set him up to face Olinger. Thorpe picked up Lucas Hawkins, who’d just gotten by Larry Kressel double hill, and shut out Mike Fuller (he would also go on to finish third in the 9-Ball event). 

Monday got into the quarterfinals with a 7-3 victory over Cone, and was joined by Hawkins, who’d downed Thorpe 6-2. With Monday’s vengeance ‘target’ (Chris Turner) a single match away, he earned the right to face him with a 7-4 victory over Hawkins. He dropped Turner by the same score, and turned to face Nevel.

Of the many things either player or anyone watching might have predicted about a match between Nevel and Monday at that point (approaching dawn on Monday morning), a shutout by Monday in the opening set would likely have drawn long odds. But that’s just what happened. Odds on a second set going 13 games would have been less, but that, too, is just what happened. With Nevel needing to reach 8 games, and Monday 7, Monday prevailed 7-6 in the second set to capture his first event title of the year. 

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.