He returned to the scene of the crime, so to speak. Ricardo Mejia, looking to record his first Tri-State Tour victory in just over a year, returned to the site of his last win, Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ. He’d chalked up the win last year, with an asterisk, when he and Rafael Alberto opted out of a final match and as the hot seat occupant, he was awarded the official event title. This year, on Sunday, September 15, he and Ilija Trajceski would play twice; once, in a winners’ side quarterfinal and then, in the finals, where Mejia would prevail and claim the title. The $1,000-added event drew 24 entrants to Clifton Billiards.
Mejia advanced from his first victory over Trajceski (7-4) to face Luis Jimenez in a winners’ side semifinal. Bob Toomey, in the meantime, who’d just survived a double hill match against Jeff Martinez, squared off against Mike Strassberg.
Mejia downed Jimenez 7-5, as Toomey, seemingly a little annoyed at his last outing, took it out on Mike Strassberg and shut him out. Mejia sent Toomey off to the semifinals 8-4 and waited in the hot seat for the return of Trajceski.
Over on the loss side, Trajceski had opened up with a 7-5 victory over Chris Schmidt. He followed that with another 7-5 victory over Steve Kaminow, which set him up to face Jimenez, coming over from the winners’ side semifinal. Strassberg drew Teddy Lapadula, who’d defeated Marco Daniele, double hill, and Jeff Martinez 6-2.
Trajceski and LaPadula advanced to the quarterfinals; Trajceski 7-4 over Jimenez and LaPadula 6-2 over Strassberg. Trajceski took the quarterfinal match 7-5 over LaPadula and then, eliminated Toomey 7-4 in the semifinals.
In the extended-race-to-9 finals, Mejia took an early, promising lead, before Trajceski responded and eventually got out in front 5-4. Trajceski went on to reach seven racks first, which extended the match to a race-to-9. Mejia caught up and when he reached seven racks, he broke and ran the next two to win it.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Clifton Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors John Bender Custom Cues, Ozone Billiards, Sterling Billiards, Kamui, Quick Slick, Billiards Digest, Liquid Shaft Cues, Joe Romer Trophies, and Phil Capelle Publications. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sunday, September 22, will be a $1,000-added, Double Points event, hosted by BQE Billiards in Jackson Heights (Queens), NY.
Desi DeRado earned his first cash payout at a Tri-State Tour stop back in March, in what was the tour’s 2018-2019 season. This past weekend, July 27, he chalked up his first victory on the tour*, going undefeated to the hot seat and negotiating a prize settlement with Luis Jimenez in lieu of a final match. The $1,000-added event drew 19 entrants to Shooter’s Family Billiards in Wayne, NJ.
DeRado and Jimenez did play a match in this one, a winners’ side semifinal. DeRado’s trip to the asterisk victory had something of a shaky start. A 7-3 win over Ryan Macedonio was followed by a double hill battle that he won over Steve Kaminow, setting him up for the winners’ side semifinal against Jimenez. Rick Rodriguez and Mac Jankov squared off in the other winners’ side semifinal.
DeRado won his second straight, double hill match, sending Jimenez to the loss side, as Rodriguez downed Jankov 6-2. DeRado defeated Rodriguez 8-6 in what proved to be his last match and claimed the hot seat.
On the loss side, Jimenez launched his trip back to the finals against Nick Serino, who’d defeated Steve Kaminow, double hill and Ryan Macedonia 7-2. Jankov drew Mike Strassberg, who’d defeated Sabrina Sherman 6-4 and survived a double hill match against John DeVito.
Jimenez eliminated Serino 7-3 and in the quarterfinals, faced Jankov, who’d defeated Strassberg double hill. Jankov ended up on the wrong side of his second straight double hill match in those quarterfinals, which sent Jimenez to his last match, the semifinals.
For different reasons, both Jimenez and Rodriguez were anxious to win the semifinals for a second shot at DeRado in the hot seat. Jimenez earned the shot with a 7-4 victory over Rodriguez, but never got the shot when negotiations opened for a split of the top prizes. The event title, DeRado’s first-ever, though accompanied by the *, went into the record books.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Shooter’s Family Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Liquid Weighted Cues, Bloodworth Ball Cleaner, Quick Stik, Phil Capelle, Pool & Billiards, Bender Cues, Dayton Cues, and Romer Trophies. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sunday, August 4, will be hosted by Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.
Shivam Gupta has finally added a ‘non-asterisk’ win on the Tri-State Tour to his resumé. Following two victories in which he was the ‘official’ winner because he was in the hot seat when his finals opponent and he opted out of a final match (in 2013, and this past February), Gupta went undefeated (final match included this time) through a field of 28 at the most recent stop on the Tri-State Tour. The $1,000-added 10-ball event, held on Sunday, April 22, was hosted by Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.
Following an opening round victory over Steve Kaminow, Gupta met up with his eventual opponent in the finals, Jaydev Zaveri. The two battled to double hill, before Gupta sent Zaveri on a seven-match, loss-side trip that would eventually give him a second shot at the event title. Gupta advanced to down Justin Toye, and draw Eli Trajceski in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Allison LaFleur, in the meantime, squared off against Marc Lamberti in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Gupta got into the hot seat match with a 6-4 win over Trajceski, as LaFleur was busy downing Lamberti 5-2 in the other one. Gupta claimed the hot seat 7-4 over LaFleur and waited on what would be his first Tri-State event final, against Zaveri.
With two notches on his loss-side belt, Zaveri defeated Toye 6-4 and Tony Ignomirello 6-2 to draw Trajceski. Lamberti picked up Michelle Broton, who’d gotten by Shweta Zaveri and C.J. Chey, both 5-2, to reach him.
Zaveri eliminated Trajceski 6-2, while Broton was handing Lamberti a shutout. Broton then came within a game of forcing Zaveri to face double hill in the quarterfinal match that followed. Zaveri, though, pulled out ahead to win it 7-5. Allison LaFleur did the same in the semifinals, but so did Zaveri, pulling out ahead near the end to win it 6-4.
Gupta and Zaveri shot a second double hill match to claim the event title. It duplicated their earlier effort (6-5), and Gupta concluded his first ‘official’ win on the Tri-State Tour.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Clifton Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, Pool & Billiards, Professor Q Ball, Bender Cues, and DIGICUE OB. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sunday, April 29, will be hosted by Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.
In the absence of Amir Uddin, Steve Kaminow further solidified his spot on the Tri-State Tour's B+ player list with an undefeated win on Sunday, June 11. Kaminow, who picked up a tour win last July and most recently, in March, has now moved into second place in that class behind Carl Yusuf Khan. The $500-added event drew 24 entrants to Cue Bar in Bayside (Queens), NY.
Following victories over Lidio Ramirez 7-2, Eugene Ok 7-6, and Thomas Schreiber 7-3, Kaminow advanced to a winners' side semifinal against David Leggat. Esteban Morrell, Jr., in the meantime, squared off against Adrian Daniel. Kaminow moved into the hot seat match 7-3 over Leggat, and was joined by Morrell, Jr., who'd shut Daniel out. Kaminow claimed the hot seat 7-5 and waited on Morrell, Jr.'s return.
On the loss side, Leggat picked up Kapriel Delimelkonoglu, who'd gotten by David Shlemperis, double hill, and Lidio Ramirez 7-5. Daniel drew Zouraiz Ellahi, who'd eliminated Alberto Sanchez 7-4 and Erick Carrasco 6-3.
Delimelkonoglu downed Leggat 7-2, as Daniel squeaked by Ellahi 6-5. Daniel took the subsequent quarterfinal match 7-5 over Delimelkonoglu, before having his short, loss-side trip terminated by Morrell, Jr. in the semifinals 6-4.
Morrell, Jr. came into the finals with two on the wire, and Kaminow took the opening match to half that handicap lead. Morrell, Jr. came back with two racks to go ahead by three, before Kaminow chalked up a pair to draw within one at 4-3. Morrell, Jr. won the next two to reach the hill for a possible extension to nine games. Kaminow put a stop to that with four in a row to win it.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Cue Bar for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Saturday, June 17, will be hosted by Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ.
For the second week in a row Carl Yusuf Khan, known for a lot of reasons that have nothing to do with pool, as The Warrior, has gone undefeated on the Tri-State Tour. Tour representatives were unable to recall the last time a player won two in a row. On September 11, he went undefeated through a field of 38 entrants to claim the title. On Sunday, September 18, at a $203-added event at Rockaway Billiards, in Rockaway, NJ, he joined an extraordinarily short field of 11 and once again, went undefeated. He and his finals opponent, Tony Ignomirello, whom Khan had defeated previously in a winners' side semifinal, opted out of a final match, allowing Khan to claim the official title while splitting the top two cash prizes.
He and Ignomirello met first in that winners' side semifinal, won by Khan 7-5, as Michael Conoran was busy downing Fred Garcia 7-4. Khan moved into his second straight hot seat match and defeated Conoran 7-5.
On the loss side, Garcia picked up Pascal Dufresne, who'd defeated Paul Madonia 7-4 and Steve Kaminow 7-3 to reach him. Ignomirello drew Martin Carducci, who'd survived a double hill battle versus Kevin Coyle and benefited from a forfeit by Liam Tully. Garcia and Ignomirello advanced to the quarterfinals; Garcia, 7-2 over Dufresne and Ignomirello, 6-3 over Carducci.
Ignomirello took the quarterfinal match against Garcia 7-3, and then, almost had his loss-side run derailed by Conoran in the semifinals. The two battled to double hill, and in the case game, shooting at the 8-ball (the game was 9-ball), Ignomirello scratched. With ball in hand, Conoran took aim at the 8-ball and missed, leaving Ignomirello an easy out. He took advantage, closed out the rack and turned to face Khan.
The match didn't happen. At a relatively early hour, the two opted out of the final, leaving Khan as the official, undefeated winner.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Rockaway Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. Barring fulfillment of an open date on October 1, the Tri-State Tour will be back at Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ, for a $1,000-added, double point event on Sunday, October 9.
In Jimmy Rivera's first Tri-State Tour win, back in February of 2013, he won five on the loss side and eventually defeated Koka Davladze in the finals. Three years and six months later, on Saturday, August 20, Rivera chalked up his second Tri-State victory, once again, coming from the loss side. This time, though, he won nine on the loss side for a shot in the finals against Henri Hernandez, who, due to the lateness of the hour, was forced to withdraw, leaving Rivera as the event winner. The $1,000-added, A/D handicapped event drew 57 entrants to Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.
With Rivera already long at work on the loss side, Hernandez advanced to a winners' side semifinal against Miguel Laboy. Adalberto Nazario squared off against Ron Bernardo in the other one. Hernandez sent LaBoy to the loss side 7-4 and, in the hot seat match, faced Nazario, who'd defeated Bernardo 6-2. In what would prove to be his last match of the tournament, Hernandez claimed the hot seat 9-8 over Nazario.
On the loss side, LaBoy drew Rivera, already six matches into his loss-side run with wins over Patrick Dugan, Steve Kaminow, Stewart Warnock, and Amir Rashad Uddin. In the event's first money rounds, Rivera defeated Mike Figueroa 7-5, and Max Watanabe 7-4 to face LaBoy. Bernardo, in the meantime, picked up Ambi Estevez, who'd defeated Nicole Monaco and Mike Esposito, both 6-3, to reach him.
Rivera, who was never afforded the opportunity to face the opponent who'd sent him to the loss side (Arturo Reyes), downed LaBoy 7-2. He was joined in the quarterfinals by Bernardo, who'd ended Estevez' night 7-6. Rivera leapfrogged into the semifinals against Nazario when Bernardo forfeited the quarterfinal match. Rivera completed his loss-side run with an 11-7 victory over Nazario in the semifinals.
It was at this point that Hernandez was forced to bow out. He and Rivera split the top two prizes, while Rivera was awarded the event title.
Tour representatives thanked Manny Stamatakis and his staff at Steinway Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for the weekend of August 27-28, will be hosted by Amsterdam Billiards in Manhattan.
The nineteenth annual Tri-State Tour Invitational Tournament took place June 25 & 26, 2016, at Steinway Café and Billiards in Astoria, NY. The weekend was a huge success for the tour with 16 A & A+ Players, 25 B & B+ Players, 31 C & C+ Players and 15 D & D+ Players who earned their way in to compete in their respective classes and play for their chance to be named the Tri-State Tour Invitational Grand Champion. Steinway Café and Billiards hosted the event for the second year and once again provided a great atmosphere and playing environment for the players. Steinway Café and Billiards owner Manny Stamatakis and the staff including Anna and George were very professional, helpful and gracious. Manny donated the room and all the table time. Their generosity and support to the players and the event as always were exemplary. The staff and everyone at the room assured the events success. Steinway Café and Billiards is an excellent venue for any event, it has professionally maintained tables, a clean fresh atmosphere and some of the very best food in NYC.
As each day began, organizers John Leyman, Todd Fleitman, Rick Shellhouse & Daniel Cintron congratulated the players on reaching the top of their classes for the season and handed out awards to the top players of the year in each class. The Tri-State Tour added $4000 in cash prizes and the sponsors John Bender Custom Cues, Ozone Billiards, Kamui Tips, Sterling Gaming, Capelle’s Pool Books, The 90/90 Aiming System, Pool & Billiards, Professor-Q-Ball’s News, Blue Book Publications, Steinway Café and Billiards, Amsterdam Billiards, and Romer’s Trophies went out of their way to provide the event with excellent equipment and prizes. The sponsors as the Tri-State has always maintained are owed a debt a gratitude for their dedication to the game and the players, their efforts and generosity are what always make the event so special and such a great success and without their continued support of the sport and the players this event could not happen.
Awards were presented to the top 3 players in each class, the Most Improved Player of the Year, and Sportsman of the Year. The most improved player went to Erick Carrasco. He has grown from a beginner player to a good and competent player over the past year. He started on the tour as a D+ player barely able to string a couple good shots together to a player who is much stronger and is now rated C+ and has a good command of the game. His recent 4th place finish in a field of 191 players at the George “Ginky” San Souci Memorial is a tribute to how much Erick’s game has improved. Each year the tour awards one player the “Sportsperson of the Year” award. It is awarded to someone the tour believes exemplifies what a player should be and how they should act and this year’s award went to Jim Gutierrez. Jim never faltered in his efforts to always be a sportsman at the table even when he was in a battle to win D Class player of the year. Even if it meant losing a match and watching the player he was battling for first place with go further in the event and earn more points. His great attitude and his efforts to always make everything right and fair in a match is what other players should strive to emulate.
The top players of the year in their respective classes were Miguel Laboy winning the A+/A class for the second year in a row, Steve Kaminow B+ player, Kevin Scalzitti B player, Tony Ignomirello returning to the top again this year as the C+ player, Bob Toomey as the C player and Jim Gutierrez D+/D class player of the year. This year saw some new ladies rise to the top of the leader board with the Ladies Player of the Year being Akiko Taniyama. For a full list of winners for all the classes and events, please see the web site www.thetristatetour.com.
The action in the tournament got going around eleven on Saturday morning, June 25 with the B+ and B class players along with the D+/D players kicking off the event. The B+ class was won by some very strong play from Shivam Gupta who bested all players on the no loss side to reach the finals undefeated. Alberto Estevez after a 3rd round loss to Kapriel Delimelkonoglu moved to the one loss side. He then beat his next 2 opponents to meet Kapriel in the semi-finals with a chance to return to the B+ finals for the second year in a row. This time Alberto won with a score of 7-4. In the finals Shivam played nearly flawlessly and sent Alberto home again with a second place finish. In the B-Class Ramon Feliciano went thru the field in his usual strong and deliberate manner and bested all comers. He won against Pascal Dufresne in the hot seat match 7-6 and then beat him again in the finals only allowing Pascal to get to 4 this time.
The D+/D class saw Chris Kaiser and Alberto Sanchez battle their way to the hot seat match where Chris played well and did everything right and won the set 6-2. Alberto after being sent to the one loss side met up with Samantha Adler who had lost her first match of the day and battled all the way back winning 5 back to back matches to get to the semi-finals. But after the grueling grind of the one loss side Samantha just ran out of steam and Alberto took advantage of some luck and some mistakes and won the match 6-2. The finals saw Chris take an early lead but Alberto battled back to tie the score at 4-4 and then Chris took control and played well to finish off the match with an 8-4 win.
On Sunday, play resumed at 11 AM with the A+/A players and the C+ class and C class arriving to do battle. Stewart Warnock played with a purpose all day in the A+/A Class and his drive and determination saw him arrive in the finals undefeated. His opponent Ron Gabia had lost his 3rd round match of the day to move to the one loss side and proceeded to handily dispatch his opponents to arrive in the finals. And just like the day had already went for the 2 players Stewart went out in front early and looked to dominate but Ron would not be held back. As he had done all day he battled back and surged ahead to win the match 9-6.
In the C+ class Jaydev Zaveri sent Harry Guevarez to the one loss side in the hot seat match with a score of 6-3. Harry then battled back for a rematch with Jaydev beating Michael Aro 6-2. Jaydev who played well all day
not allowing any opponent more than 4 wins in any match struggled only slightly and allowed Harry to get to the hill. But in the end Jaydev took advantage of some good rolls and won the match 6-5.
The C Class saw one player in the finals undefeated while their opponent had lost his first match of the day. Amy Yu played very strong all day besting her opponents 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and 6-4 to get to the finals undefeated. Bob Toomey the C Class player of the year lost his first match 6-4 to Ron Chau and moved to the one loss side and battled to the semifinals match with 5 wins and thus had a chance to redeem himself against Ron Chau. Which Bob did winning on the hill 6-5. But being C Class player of the year and the C Class event winner was just out of reach as Amy Yu once again played very well and won the match 6-3.
This left our 6 class champions to do battle for the Grand Champion title. Jaydev Zaveri continued his dominating ways and beat Amy Yu 6-3 to win the C+/C playoff and then Chris Kaiser in the C/D playoff on the hill 7-6. At times it looked like Chris was going to win but Jaydev hung in there took advantage of some good rolls and came out on top. In the B+/B class playoff Ramon Feliciano executed very well and bested Shivam Gupta in the match 7-5. Ramon Feliciano continued his deliberate and winning game play and forged on to the grand finals beating Ron Gabia 7-4 in the A/B playoffs. But in the grand finals Ramon just could not get going right away and fell behind. He caught some wind and started to battle back but by that time it was just too late and Jaydev as he had all day took advantage of the mistakes and the rolls and won the match 7-3 to become that 2015-2016 Tri-State Tour Invitational Grand Champion.
In a winners' side semifinal during the Sunday, May 15 stop on the Tri-State Tour, Kevin Scalzitti suffered a loss at the hands of Duc Lam. After winning three matches on the loss side, Scalzitti came back in the finals to return the favor. The $1,000-added event drew 23 entrants to BQE Billiards in Jackson Heights (Queens), NY.
Following victories over Mike Harrington 7-3, Ed Medina 7-2 and Kapriel Delimelkonoglu 7-2, Scalzitti met up with Lam, as Ambi Estevez squared off against Bob Toomey in the other winners' side semifinal. Lam sent Scalzitti west 8-5 and, in the hot seat match, faced Estevez, who'd defeated Toomey 6-3. Lam claimed the hot seat 9-7 and waited for his second, fateful match against Scalzitti.
Scalzitti opened his loss-side campaign against Pascal Dufresne, who'd defeated Steve Kaminow 7-2 and eliminated Delimelkonoglu 7-5. Toomey picked up Alberto Sanchez, who'd gotten by Andrea Shiffman 7-4 and survived a double hill battle versus Akiko Taniyama.
Scalzitti downed Dufresne 7-1, as Toomey eliminated Sanchez 7-4. Dufresne took the quarterfinal match that followed 7-5 over Toomey, and then dropped Estevez 7-4 in the semifinals.
In the finals, Scalzitti employed some semifinal momentum to get off to a quick, three-rack lead against the opponent who'd sent him to the loss side, Lam. Lam took rack #4, but Scalzitti came right back with two in a row to take a commanding 5-1 lead. That lead vanished when Lam chalked up four in a row to knot the match at 5-5. They proved to be Lam's last. Scalzitti responded with four straight of his own to claim the event title.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at BQE Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Saturday, May 21, will be hosted by Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.
Bob Toomey in the hot seat, and Steve Kaminow, coming at him from the loss side, opted out of a final match during a Sunday, April 24 stop on the Tri-State Tour. They chose to split the top two prizes of the $1,000-added event that had drawn 16 entrants to Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ.
Toomey and Adam Kosmin squared off in the hot seat battle. Toomey had sent Tony Ignomirello to the loss side 6-1 in one of the winners' side semifinals, as Kosmin downed Jerry Ritzer, double hill, in the other. Toomey sent Kosmin to the semifinals with a double hill win that proved to be his last match.
On the loss side, Steve Kaminow was working his way to the finals. He defeated Paul Madonia 7-5, and William Donofrio 7-2 to pick up Ritzer. Ignomirello drew Mark Mondello, who'd eliminatEd Martin Carducci 6-1, and Mickey Hadjipetros 6-3 to reach him.
Kaminow defeated Ritzer 7-3, advancing to the quarterfinals against Mondello, who'd defeated Ignomirello 6-2. Kaminow followed up with a 7-4 win over Mondello and moved into his final match; the semifinals versus Kosmin. He thwarted Kosmin's desire for a rematch against Toomey with a 7-5 win, which ended the night. Toomey and Kaminow opted out of the final, leaving the undefeated Toomey as the event's official winner.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Rockaway Billiards, as well as sponsors John Bender of Bender Cues, Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Qpod Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sunday, May 1, will be hosted by BQE Bar & Billiards in Jackson Heights, NY.
The hot seat was a new experience for Del Sim. So was victory in the finals. He did both on Sunday, April 10, when he went undefeated at a Tri-State Tour stop, successfully navigating two matches versus Miguel Laboy to claim the title. The $462-added event drew 21 entrants to the Cue Bar in Bayside (Queens), NY.
Sim and LaBoy met first in a winners' side semifinal, as Emit Yolcu squared off against Tyrronnie Harlee in the other one. Sim took the first of two against Laboy 7-5. By the same score, Yolcu sent Harlee to the loss side. Sim claimed his first hot seat in a double hill win over Yolcu and waited in it for the return of Laboy.
On the loss side, Laboy picked up Riyadh Benghalem, who'd defeated Steve Kaminow 7-3, and Mike Harrington 7-2 to reach him. Harlee drew Pat Mareno, who'd eliminated Esteban Morrell 6-3 and survived a double hill battle versus Ambi Estevez. Laboy got by Benghalem 7-5, and was joined in the quarterfinals by Mareno, who benefited from a medical forfeiture by Harlee.
Laboy and Mareno battled to double hill, before Laboy finished it at 10-9 and turned to face Yolcu in the semifinals. Another double hill match ensued, with Laboy emerging for a shot at Sim in the hot seat.
Sim ended Laboy's loss-side streak and hopes for revenge. He claimed his first title with an 8-5 victory in the finals.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at the Cue Bar, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. With the Super Billiards Expo, scheduled for next weekend (April 14-17), and a subsequent Open Date, the next stop on the Tri-State Tour is scheduled for Sunday, May 1, and will be hosted by BQE Billiards and Bar in Jackson Heights, NY.
