118 players decided to spend their Fourth of July weekend in Shreveport, LA for the Sidepocket Nine Ball Open.

 

Friday night action kicked off with a sixteen man ring 9 ball – $100/man. The players drew into groups of four on four tables. The top two from there went to two tables until two players were eliminated. The final four duked it out with Warren Kiamco taking top honors and $800. Clint Freeman took second and $400, Alex Olinger was third with $250 and Steve Raynes took fourth and $150. Congratulations to all!

 

Saturday began with a noon players auction. Young guns Sky Woodward and Alex Olinger took the two blind bids. Other top players going for big bucks included CJ Wiley, Robb Saez and Warren Kiamco. The draw was completed and play began.

 

The alternate break – race to seven format produced a lot of very close matches but on Sunday afternoon, the cream rose to the top leaving Sky Woodward and Robb Saez playing for the hot seat. Sky prevailed and claimed a berth in the finals while Robb took a seat on the rail waiting for the results of the Chase Rudder–Jerry Calderon match.

 

Calderon was victorious in a 7-6 nailbiter leaving Chase with a very respectable fourth place finish and $700. Calderon and Saez faced off for the other seat in the finals and this one was a close one too! Robb edged Calderon out – again 7-6. Calderon had to settle for $950 and a third place finish.

 

Since this was a true double elimination event, Robb would have to defeat the always tough Sky twice to claim the title. Getting a sniff of the cheese, Sky was having none of it as he cruised to a 7-3 victory and his three-peat!!! Not to mention the $2600 first prize money!!! Congratulations, Sky!!!

 

Robb did his sponsor Arena Billiards proud with his fantastic runner-up finish and receiving $1300 for his efforts. Great job, buddy!!!

 

The Sidepocket Nine Ball Open wouldn’t have been possible without the sponsorship of Mike Roberts of It’s George Tip Tool 3, OB Digicue, Ballistic Billiards and Steve Wells of Action24/7. Thank you!!! Tournament Director Jeff Sullivan (“Sully”) and his able assistant, Ileana Ford, made sure the event ran smoothly. Good job!!! And, as always, thanks to Sidepocket’s owner, Roger Lites, and his fantastic staff for taking such good care of all the players and fans!!!

 

PoolActionTV would also like to thank our sponsors: Diamond Billiard Tables, Lomax Custom Cues, Kamui, John Barton of JB Cases, GoPlayPool.com, Durbin Custom Cues, Aramith, Hanshew Custom Cues, Simonis and Club Billiards of Wichita, KS.

 

Our next stop is Houston, TX for the Topwater Memorial One Pocket Championship to be held at Bogie’s Billiards – July 14th-16th. Hope to see you there!!!

Each, having chalked up a victory against the other, Mike Hancock and Jody Musselman opted out of a final deciding match and split the top two prizes on the December 17-18, last 2016 stop on the Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour. The event drew 41 entrants to Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN. 

 

They met first in a winners' side semifinal. With Musselman racing to 7, Hancock advanced to the hot seat match 6-5. He was met by Jonathan "Hennessee from Tennessee" Pinegar, who'd sent Alex Boles to the loss side 12-1. Hancock claimed the hot seat over Pinegar 6-4, and waited on Musselman's return.

 

Musselman began his three-match trek back to the finals again Jonathan Ailstock, who'd defeated Mike Robertson 6-3, and Zach Hampton 6-6 (Hampton racing to 9) to reach him. Boles drew James Parks, who'd gotten by Kevin Albaba and Brandon Helton, both 5-2.

 

Musselman eliminated Ailstock 7-4, and was met in the quarterfinals by Parks, who'd defeated Boles, double hill (5-3). Musselman then eliminated Parks 7-2 in those quarterfinals, and went on to defeat Pinegar 7-7 in the semifinals (Pinegar racing to 12).

 

Though they'd come within a game of double hill in their winners' side semifinal match, Musselman took control of the opening set in their true double elimination final, winning it 7-2. They opted out of a second, deciding match, leaving hot seat occupant Hancock as the official winner, and splitting the top two prizes.

 

Tour director Herman Parker thanked Janet Atwell and her staff at Borderline Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, Ruthless Billiards, GoPlayPool.com, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. Parker also extended best holiday wishes to all participants, sponsors, and room owners for their support in 2016.

 

The 2017 Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour will commence with the 2016 Tour Championships, scheduled for January 7-8. The $1,000-added event is an invitation-only tournament among the tour's top 80 players in 2016, and will be hosted by Brass Tap in Raleigh, NC. 

Jonathan Ailstock ended 2015 with a third place finish in the Action Pool Tour's Season Finale, behind the tour's #1 and #2-ranked players, Brandon Shuff and Shaun Wilkie. He fell to Wilkie in the hot seat match, and then, Shuff (who went on to win the event) in the semifinals. Ailstock started 2016 on an equally positive note, going undefeated to take first place in the February 6 stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour. The event drew 55 entrants to Chandley's Chalk and Cue in Statesville, NC.

 

There were a couple of 'wild cards' in the race; professional Jeffrey Ignacio, who, while a majority of the players raced to anywhere from 6 to 9, had to reach 13 to win a match, and Jeff Abernathy, who had to reach 11 in his matches. They both advanced to the winners' side semifinals. Ignacio faced Ailstock (racing to 6), while Abernathy squared off against 17-year-old Justin Martin (racing to 9). Ailstock sent Ignacio to the loss side 6-7, while Abernathy downEd Martin 11-5. Ailstock claimed the hot seat 6-8 over Abernathy and waited on his return, which didn't happen until about 3 a.m. on Sunday morning.

 

On the loss side, Ignacio picked up Rick Roper, who'd gotten by Scott Lewis 7-5 (Lewis racing to 10), and Ron Frank 7-6 (Frank racing to 9). Martin drew Mike Hancock, who'd defeated Mike Robertson 6-3 and Jody Musselman, double hill. Roper ended Ignacio's day 6-6, while Martin survived a double hill match against Hancock (9-5). 

 

Martin then defeated Roper 9-3 in the quarterfinals. Abernathy ended Martin's run 11-4 to earn a second shot against Ailstock in the hot seat. With Abernathy racing to 11, and needing to defeat Ailstock twice, Ailstock completed his undefeated run with a 6-7 victory in the only set necessary.

 

The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour will be the 2nd Annual North Carolina 9-Ball State Championships, scheduled for February 13-14. The $1,000-added event will be hosted by Brass Tap & Billiards in Raleigh, NC.