There are a lot of nerve-wracking scenarios in the sport of pool; sitting in the hot seat, waiting for an opponent, who'd like nothing better than to knock you out of that seat, for example, or being in the midst of a lengthy loss-side run, during which every match puts you face to face with elimination. Here's one: you've managed to get yourself into the hot seat for the first time on a tour. You've defeated a tour veteran to get there, and then, a loss-side challenger, other than your hot seat opponent, faces and defeats you in the opening set of a true double elimination final, and you step to the table for a second set with everything on the line.

 

JT Ringold faced just such a scenario during the April 5-6 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, defeating tour veteran Sidney Champion to get into the hot seat, and then, in the second set of a true double elimination final, defeating loss-side challenger Greg Smith to claim his first GSBT title. The $1,000-added event drew 30 entrants to Mickey Milligan's in New Bern, NC.

 

To get into the hot seat match against Champion, Ringold had defeated Paul Swinson 6-1. Champion, in the meantime, had sent Ringold's eventual opponent in the finals, Smith, to the losers' bracket 9-6. Ringold downed Champion 6-5 to complete the first half of the 'nerve-wracking scenario' that would end with him in the winners' circle.

 

Swinson moved to the loss side and picked up Joshua Padron, who'd given up only two racks over his previous two matches, giving up one to Shane Foy and the other to Chris McSorley. Smith drew Josh Heeter, who'd gotten by Younger Chapman 7-2 and Chad Pike 7-4. 

 

Smith survived a double hill fight versus Heeter to advance to the quarterfinals, while Swinson gave Padron a taste of his own 'one-rack' medicine, advancing 5-1 to meet Smith. Smith then downed Swinson 9-4, and took out Champion in the semifinals 9-3. Presumably with a little momentum on his side, Smith took command of the opening set of the finals against Ringold, winning it 9-3. Ringold, though, with his eyes no doubt firmly focused on the prize, took solid command of the second set, winning it 6-3 to successfully negotiate the 'nerve-wracking scenario' and claim his first GSBT title.

 

Tour director Shannon Daulton thanked the ownership and staff at Mickey Milligan's for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Nick Varner Cues & Cases, Delta-13, Ozone Billiards, Tiger Products, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Lomax Cues, and Universe Clothing for their continuing support of the tour. The next stop on the GSBT, scheduled for April 12-13, will be hosted by 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.

 

BJ Hucks and Trent Talbert went head-to-head twice; once, in the battle for the hot seat and again, in the finals of the June 1-2 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour. Hucks won them both to capture the $1,000-added event that had drawn 30 entrants to Shore Thing Bar & Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.

 

Their first meeting came after Hucks had sent Scott Langston to the loss side 9-5 and Talbert had downed Wendell Thompkins 7-4. Hucks took the hot seat 9-5 and waited for Talbert to get back from the semifinals.

 

Over on the loss side, Thompkins picked up Sidney Champion, who'd defeated Kelvin Acres 9-3 and Gatlin Askins 9-6 to reach him. Langston picked up Phillip Britt, with two GSBT wins at Shore Thing Billiards to his credit (Oct. & Dec. '12) already, who'd defeated Mickey Hucks 9-6 and shut out JR Faircloth. The loss-side combatants advanced; Champion surviving a double hill fight over Thompkins and Britt ending Langston's day 9-4.

 

Champion took the quarterfinal match 9-6 over Britt but fell to Talbert in the semifinals 7-6. In their second matchup, Hucks held Talbert to three racks on his way to claiming the event title.

 

Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the ownership and staff at Shore Thing Billiards, as well as sponsors Nick Varner Cues & Cases, Delta 13 Racks, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Tiger Products, and Lomax Custom Cues. The next stop on the GSBT, a $2,500-added, amateur 9-ball event, is scheduled for June 22-23 at Player's Place in Charleston, SC.   

Adam Bryan, a B player, took advantage of a handicap to gain the hot seat in a battle versus Greg Smith, an A player at a November 26-27 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour. Smith, though, returned from the semifinals to defeat him twice and take the event title. The $1,500-added event drew 32 entrants to Mickey Milligan’s Billiards & Pub in New Bern, NC.

From among the winners’ side final four, Smith, in a straight-up race to nine games between two A players, prevailed in a double hill battle against Sidney Champion. Bryan, in the meantime, facing an A player, Larry Faulk, also survived a double hill battle and advanced to the hot seat match with a 7-8 victory. Bryan then convincingly sent Smith to the semifinals with a 7-5 win that left him in the hot seat.

Champion moved to the loss side and picked up Charlie Brinson, who’d gotten by Delton Howard 7-5, and Jason Lawson 7-2. Faulk drew Montez Lloyd, who’d defeated Carlos Cruz 9-2 and Terri Faulk 9-5 to reach him. Brinson shut out Champion to advance to the quarterfinals, and was joined by Faulk, who’d downed Lloyd 9-6. Faulk then handed Brinson a dose of his own shutout medicine, winning 7-0 to face Smith in the semifinals.

In a straight-up race to nine, Smith earned his re-match versus Bryan with a 9-7 win over Faulk. Over the next two games of the true double elimination final, Smith gave up only five racks – two in the opening set and one more in the second – to capture the event title.

Free entries were awarded to Terri Faulk and Jason Lawson for their 7th/8th place finish. Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Gerry Sheperd and the staff at Mickey Milligan’s Billiards & Pub, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.