Greg Smith returned to the Great Southern Billiard Tour winners' circle with an undefeated run in the tour's first event of 2014. Smith, whose last victory on the tour was in November of 2011 at the same location, had to get by hometown threat, Rick Mosiello (aka Limo), twice to capture the event title. The $1,000-added event drew 37 entrants to Mickey Milligan's Billiards in New Bern, NC.

 

They met first in the hot seat match, once Smith had sent Zach Wilson to the loss side 9-7 and the 70-something Mosiello had dispatched Josh Heeter 5-1. Smith, who'd come from the loss side in his 2011 win on the tour, got into the hot seat this time with a 9-3 win over Mosiello, and waited on his return.

 

Over on the loss side, Nolan Leonard and Chris McSorley were waiting for Wilson and Heeter. Leonard, who'd been sent to the loss side by Smith from among the final 16 winners, had defeated Terri Faulk 7-2 and Wayne Haire 7-3. McSorley had gotten by Gary Hill 7-3 and Adam Bryan 7-6 (It was Bryan that Smith had faced and defeated in the finals of the 2011 event). Leonard and McSorley handed Wilson and Heeter their second straight loss, both double hill, and advanced to meet each other in the quarterfinals.

 

Leonard completed his six-match, loss-side winning streak with a 7-5 win over McSorley, but fell to Mosiello, double hill, in the semifinals. Smith secured the event title by defeating Mosiello a second time in the opening set of the finals 9-4.

 

Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Gerry Shepherd and his staff at Mickey Milligan's, along with sponsors Nick Varner Cues & Cases, Delta 13 Racks, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Tiger Products, Ozone Billiards and Lomax Custom Cues. The next stop on the GSBT is scheduled for January 11-12 at Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Younger Chapman stopped a loss-side challenge by Delton Howard to win the second set of a true double elimination final and claim a Great Southern Billiard Tour event title on the weekend of September 14-15. The $1,000-added Amateur event drew 32 entrants to Mickey Milligan's Billiards in New Bern, NC.

 

They almost met in the hot seat match. Chapman dominated his winners' side semifinal against Nolan Leonard 7-1, but in a straight-up, race-to-9, Larry Faulk sent Howard to the loss side 9-3. Chapman, with Faulk racing to 9, got into the hot seat with a 7-5 win.

 

Howard moved over and picked up William Roberts, who'd defeated Danny Farin 7-2, and Charlie Brinson 7-5 to reach him. Leonard drew Greg Smith, who'd gotten by Sammy Jones 9-4 and Sidney Champion 9-2. Howard took his first loss-side match 9-2 over Roberts, while Smith handed Leonard his second straight loss by the same score.

 

Howard ended Smith's loss-side journey 9-5 in the quarterfinals, earning himself a re-match against Faulk in the semifinals. Though Faulk would end up winning more games over their two matches (16), Howard won the critical second match 9-7 and got a shot at Chapman in the hot seat.

 

He took full advantage, winning the opening set 9-6. Chapman, though, rallied in the second set, to reach his required games (7), two ahead of Howard to claim the title.

 

Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the ownership and staff at Mickey Milligan's Billiards, as well as sponsors Nick Varner Cues & Cases, Delta 13 Racks, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Tiger Products, Ozone Billiards and Lomax Custom Cues. The GSBT's next event, a $2,000-added, amateur 8-ball/9-ball tournament, will be hosted by Michael's Billiards in Fairfield, OH on the weekend of September 28-29.

 

He’s been at it for a few years now, trying to chalk up a win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour; four times this year, in fact, and though he’s finished among the top five in three of his last four outings, the “W” has eluded Billy Thorpe. No longer. On the weekend of June 2-3, at a $1,500-added event at BJ’s Billiards in Havelock, NC, Thorpe worked his way through a field of 42 entrants, including road partner, Alex Olinger (twice) and went undefeated to capture his first GSBT title.

Thorpe and Olinger met first in the battle for the hot seat, once Thorpe had sent Chris McSorley west 9-3 and Olinger had done likewise to Jordan Grubb 11-6. With a two-game advantage, Thorpe got into the hot seat 9-9 over Olinger and waited for his return.

Over on the loss side, Mac Herrell defeated Brian White 9-8, and Larry Faulk 9-6 to pick up Grubb. McSorley drew Nolan Leonard, who’d defeated Jason Lawson 7-3 and Delton Howard 7-2 to reach him. Herrell and Leonard ended Grubb and McSorley’s trip to the loss side quickly; Herrell 9-8 over Grubb and Leonard 7-1 over McSorley. Herrell won the quarterfinal battle that followed 7-3 over Leonard, but ran right into a determined Olinger, who defeated him 11-6 in the semifinals for a second chance against Thorpe.

Both Thorpe and Olinger, who will reportedly travel together and be on hand for the next GSBT stop on June 9-10 at Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC, entered the finals playing as though they were late for a bus to the beach. Thorpe got out to an early lead and held on to it throughout the length of the match; extended it, in fact, as he took his second match from Olinger 9-3 to chalk up that first win on the GSBT.

Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked BJ Billiards in Havelock, NC for their hospitality, particularly Danny Farren and Mike Coleman for their hard work at coordinating the event. The tour, noted the Daultons, will be back “very soon.” The Daultons also thanked sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. 

They played three times; once among the winners’ side final four and twice in the finals. Brian White moved to the loss side at the end of his first match versus Ron Park, but came back to win both sets of a true double elimination final and take home top honors. The $1,500-added event drew 52 entrants to Lucky Shot Billiards in Albemarle, NC.

Both of the winners’ side semifinals were double hill affairs. Park got into the hot seat match with a double hill win over White, while James Blackburn defeated Nolan Leonard. Blackburn was playing in his second straight hot seat match, having gotten into the hot seat the week before in Lynchburg, VA (Justin Hall double dipped him in the finals to win it). This week, Park sent Blackburn to the semifinals 9-4, and waited for what turned out to be the return of White.  

White moved over and picked up Kevin Boggs, who’d defeated Jeff Abernathy 9-7 and Walt Newsome 9-4. Leonard drew Marvin Reed, who’d gotten by Mike McPherson 7-5 and Kris Chavez, double hill. It was White and Leonard advancing to the quarterfinals; White with a 10-4 win over Boggs, and Leonard 7-3 over Reed. 

White defeated Leonard 10-4 and turned to face Blackburn, who was looking to get into his second straight GSBT final. It was not to be. White dominated the semifinal match 10-2 for a second chance versus Park. 

In the first of the potential two sets, the two battled to an early 3-3 tie before White edged out in front with two in a row. They battle back and forth and White was able to extend that lead by one game and finish the opening set ahead by three at 10-7.  White got out in front early in the second set, and extended his lead to four games by the 7-3 mark. They traded racks to 8-4, when White used a terrific jump shot to get out in the following rack and reach the hill first. Park came right back, using a 2-9 combo to pull back to within four again, but White closed it out, completing the double dip and securing the event title. 

Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Lucky Shot Billiard’s owner Steve Compton 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.