Archive Page

Orange goes undefeated to capture his first Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball title

Tim Orange

Tim Orange has been at the tables for a baker’s-dozen years, commencing (as far as we know) in 2005, when he won the T-Town Billiards Classic in Tuscaloosa, AL, defeating Jonathan “Hennessee from Tennessee” Pinegar in the finals. He’s chalked up a few wins and cashed on a variety of tours and events in the years since, and on the weekend of November 11-12, he added his first win on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour to his modest, but very much on-going list of accomplishments.  The $500-added event drew 27 entrants to Mr. Cues II in Atlanta, GA.

 
Orange had to get by Jeff Crawford twice in this event, meeting him first in a winners’ side semifinal, as Jeff Hooks squared off against Derek Fountain. Orange sent Crawford to the loss side 9-6, and in the hot seat match, faced Hooks, who’d defeated Fountain 7-3. Orange gave up only a single rack to Hooks in the hot seat match, and waited for Crawford to return.
 
On the loss side, Crawford picked up Raed Shabib, who’d defeated Faith Thompson 8-3 and 75-year-old BR Tatum 8-6. Fountain drew Raoul Aviles, who’d eliminated Michael Fletcher 7-1 and Shane Bridges 7-3.
 
Crawford and Shabib locked up in a double hill battle that eventually sent Crawford to the quarterfinals. Aviles, in the meantime, finished Fountain’s weekend 7-5. Crawford won the ensuing quarterfinal match 9-5 over Aviles, and then spoiled Hooks’ re-match-against-Orange bid 9-6 in the semifinals.
 
Momentum and an eagerness to avenge the earlier loss may have been on Crawford’s mind entering the finals, but Orange’s desire to chalk up the event title proved stronger. Not, though, without a fight, as the two battled to a deciding game, before Orange complete his undefeated run.
 
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Mr. Cues II, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (November 18-19) will be a $1,000-added (total) event, featuring two separate tournaments; a $500-added handicapped event on Saturday, November 18 and a $500-added Open event, on Sunday, November 19. Both will be hosted by Q Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA.

Richeson wins 6th Annual Richard Sweet Memorial in Atlanta

It was a weekend of pool sprints and marathons; two race-to-three, single elimination tournaments, one race-to-four Second Chance tournament and a main, $3,500-added, 10-ball event that drew the largest crowd. It was the 6th Annual Richard Sweet Memorial Tournament, held, on the weekend of June 25-28, under the auspices of the Tiger Southeast Open 9-Ball Tour. The event, hosted by the Sweet family's Mr. Cues II in Atlanta, GA, drew 225 competitors to the four events; 59 signed on to Friday night's 9-Ball Tournament, 46 were in attendance at Thursday night's 8-ball event, 47 checked in to the 'last hurrah 'second chance tournament on Sunday, while 73 went at it in the marquee 10-ball competition.
 
Richie Richeson, a 22-year-plus veteran of the sport, who, in 1993, shared 17th place at the US Open 9-Ball Championships with the likes of Allen Hopkins and Mike Massey, claimed the 10-ball title. Richeson survived a double elimination finals matchup against Evan Lunda, who'd come from deep on the loss side to challenge him and win the opening set of the finals. 
 
Advancing to a winners' side semifinal, Richeson faced Cliff Joyner, who also finished in that tie for 17th place at the US Open in 1993. Jason Stemen, in the meantime, squared off against Todd Noble. Richeson sent Joyner to the west bracket 7-3, as Stemen was busy surviving a double hill battle over Noble. Richeson claimed the hot heat 7-5 over Stemen and waited on Lunda.
 
On the loss side, Joyner ran into George Spires, recent 7-5 winner over both Horace Godwin and Brandon Davenport. It was Noble who picked up Lunda, 7-4 winner over both Ellis Brown and Kim Heath. Joyner gave up only a single rack to Spires, as Lunda gave up three to Noble.
 
Lunda eliminated Joyner 7-2 in the quarterfinals, and then spoiled Stemen's shot at a re-match against Richeson by defeating him in the semifinals 7-3. Lunda took the opening set of the double elimination finals in a hard-fought double hill battle, but Richeson pulled ahead in the second set to claim the title 7-4.
 
In the Thursday night, race-to-three, 8-ball, single elimination event, Tim Orange downed Mike Clay 3-2 in the finals to claim the $500 first prize. Clay took home the only other ($250) prize available. On Friday night, Tim Heath downed Mike Davis 3-1 in the finals of the single-elimination, race-to-three 9-ball event. Like Orange and Clay, Heath and Davis claimed the $500 and $250 prizes at stake.
 
The weekend concluded with a double-elimination, race-to-four 9-ball event that saw Randy Jordan go undefeated through the field of 47 entrants. Jordan claimed the hot seat over Mike Clay and waited for him to come back. On the loss side, Tim Heath eliminated Ryan Hollingsworth 4-2 in the quarterfinals, only to be shut out by Clay in the semifinals. Jordan completed his undefeated run 4-2 over Clay to claim the Second Chance title.
 
Tour director, Tommy Kennedy, last year's runner-up (to Shawn Putnam) and 9th-place finisher in that 1993 US Open thanked the Sweet family – Ricky, Susan and Mandy – and their staff at Mr. Cues II, as well as title sponsor Tiger Products, J. Pechauer Custom Cues, Simonis, Mueller Recreational Products, Viking Cues, Cue Stix International, Nick Varner Cues, Aramis, Chris Nitti Cues, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues and Paul Frankel with Professor Cue Ball magazine. 

Davis downs Lyons twice to go undefeated on GSBT

Frank Davis & Jason Lyons

Neither of the last two players standing on the November 2-3 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour had ever been in a GSBT final before. Neither, for that matter, had the third-place finisher, Dana Aft, one of six women who signed on to play, whose advance to the semifinals was her best ever. Frank Davis and Jason Lyons faced each other twice, in the hot seat match and finals, with Davis prevailing both times to go undefeated and claim the event title. Aft, who was sent to the loss side by Davis in the opening round of play, won eight on the loss side before falling to Lyons in the semifinals. The $1,000-added event drew 48 entrants to Johnny Archer's room, The Marietta Billiard Club in Marietta, GA.
 
Davis and Lyons advanced among the winners' side final four to take on Jeff Jordan and Shane Wade, respectively. Davis, racing to 5, defeated Jordan (racing to 7) 5-5, as Lyons sent Wade west in a straight-up, race-to-six, double hill match. Davis then downed Lyons for the first time 5-3 and sat in the hot seat, awaiting his return.
 
Aft, in the meantime, as a "4" (players race to their rank) was working her way through the loss-side field, and with three notches on her belt, defeated Tim Orange (a 10), and Wesley Mathis (a 5), both 4-3. This set her up to face Jordan coming over from the winners' side semifinal. Wade picked up Anthony Green, who'd gotten by Lindsey Middlebrook and Mike Clay, both 7-3, although his victory over Middlebrook was double hill.
 
Aft eliminated Jordan 4-3, and in the quarterfinals, faced Wade, who'd ended Green's day, double hill. Aft completed her winning streak with a 4-3 win over Wade, and though she would battle to double hill in the semifinals against Lyons, it was Lyons who prevailed. 
 
Lyons, with the higher handicap (6), had one more game to win than Davis, and though he'd reach the hill first, Davis caught him to win his fifth and claim the event title.
 
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at The Marietta Billiard Club, as well as sponsors Nick Varner Cues and 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 November 9-10 at Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Souvanthong avoids double dip by Styers to win GSBT stop

Shannon Daulton, Bucky Souvanthong, & David Styers

Bucky Souvanthong, who spent much of his pool career in the Northeast, continues to make noise in the South; most recently with a win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, on its October 26-27 stop in Georgia. Souvanthong was challenged in the finals by David Styers, who took the opening set of a true double elimination final, before Souvanthong took command in the second set to win it. The $1,000-added event drew 38 entrants to Chalk It Up Billiards in LaGrange, GA.
 
Souvanthong and Styers played a total of three matches, the first of which was for control of the hot seat. Souvanthong had sent Billy Tyler west 11-6, as Styers was defeating Jimmy Gibson 7-2. Souvanthong dominated the hot seat match 11-2, and waited on Styers' return.
 
On the loss side, Jesse Middlebrooks was making some noise that would carry him all the way to the semifinals. Having been defeated by Souvanthong among the winners' side final eight (11-7), Middlebrooks downed Daryl Gables and Matt Bulfin, both 10-4, to draw Gibson. Tyler drew Shane Masters, who'd won two straight double hill matches against Eric Duncan and Tim Orange, to reach him.
 
Middlebrooks advanced to the quarterfinals with a 10-4 win over Gibson. He was met by Tyler, who'd ended Masters' weekend 7-3. Middlebrooks eliminated Tyler in a double hill match, and then had his loss-side streak snapped, double hill, by Styers in the semifinals. 
 
Styers, racing to 7, defeated Souvanthong, racing to 11, 7-8 in the opening set of the true double elimination final. Souvanthong came back strongly in the second set, allowing Styers only three racks in claiming the event title.
 
Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the ownership and staff at Chalk It Up Billiards, as well as sponsors Nick Varner Cues and 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 November 2-3 at the Marietta Billiard Club in Marietta, GA.

Shaw, Nevel and Clay Win at the 4th Annual Richard Sweet Memorial

Jayson Shaw, Rick Sweet and Phil Miles Burford

Mr. Cues II in Atlanta played host to the Simonis Cloth's 4th Annual Richard Sweet Memorial over the July 4th weekend which is a memorial event and a celebration of his life and contributions to our sport, featuring four separate events; two, single-elimination, 'King of the Hill' format (one $500 1st prize)  tournaments, a Thursday 8-Ball  tournament and a Friday 9-ball tournament , a 1-day $1,000-guaranteed prize fund 9-Ball race to 4 double elimination tournament on Sunday, and a $3,000-guaranteed prize fund main event in 10-Ball which ran Saturday and Sunday. Jayson Shaw won two of them, and almost won a third. He opened the weekend's proceedings with a finals victory over John Maikke in the first of the single elimination tournaments(8-Ball) on Independence Day that drew 86 entrants. The following day, in the second of the single elimination tournaments (this one, with 79 players and 9-Ball), Shaw made it to the finals again, only to be denied his second win, by Michael Clay, who shut him out in the finals.
 
In the Saturday, main event, the 10-Ball Competition, Jayson Shaw squared off the event's defending champion, Phil Burford, twice; once in the hot seat match, and again, in the finals. Shaw had sent Jeff Hooks to the loss side 7-3 among the winners' side final four, as Burford was busy doing likewise to Randy Jordan 7-2. Shaw got into the hot seat with a 7-5 win over Burford and waited for him to get back. It wasn't long.
 
Jordan and Hooks moved to the loss side, where they were picked up by J. R. Rossman and Tim Orange. Rossman had gotten by Matt Bulfin 7-2 and John Maikke 7-4. Orange had defeated Dustin Byrd (The Parakeet) 7-5 and John Jones 7-3. Jordan advanced to the quarterfinals, double hill, over Rossman. Orange handed Hooks his second straight loss 7-5 to join him.
 
Jordan took the quarterfinal match over Orange 7-5 and earned himself a re-match against Burford, who'd sent him west among the winners' side final four. Burford, anxious for his own rematch against Shaw in the hot seat, downed Jordan 7-5. Shaw, though, hunkered down and gave up only a single rack in the opening set of the potential two-set final to claim the event title.
 
Events shifted to double elimination with commencement of the races-to-4 9-Ball Tournament on Sunday, which drew 59 entrants. Larry Nevel (who'd won both single elimination tournaments at last year's Sweet Memorial) started out by dropping his opening round match to Danny Cash, but rallied on the loss side to win nine straight, and then, two more in the finals against Bernardo Estevan
 
Estevan had advanced to the hot seat with a winners' side final four victory over Tommy Najar 4-2, while the winner of the second single elimination 8-ball tournament, Michael Clay, advanced to meet him with a 4-1 victory over Pat Cooper. Estevan shut Clay out in the battle for the hot seat and waited on the return of Nevel.
 
Meanwhile, on the loss side, The Truth was mowin' 'em down, one by one. With four down and five to go, he defeated Tony Riley 4-1, and survived a double hill battle against Jason Lyons, to pick up Majar. Cooper drew Andy Stewart, who'd squeaked by Horace Goodwin 4-3 and defeated Dana Aft 4-1. Nevel and Stewart handed Najar and Cooper their second straight defeats; Stewart shutting out Cooper and Nevel advancing to the quarterfinals 4-2 over Najar.
 
Nevel gave up only two racks over his next 14 games. He shut out Stewart in the quarterfinals, and gave up a single rack to Clay in the semifinals. Moving into the opening set of the finals against Estevan, he gave up one that forced a second set. Estevan battled him to double hill in that second set, but Nevel prevailed to claim the title.
 
Full payouts for the main 10-Ball event are as follows:
 
1.    Jayson Shaw = $1,850
2.    Phil Burford = $1,050
3.    Randy Jorday = $650
4.    Tim Orange = $400
5/6    Jeff Hooks, JR Rossman = $200 each
7/8    John Jones, John Maikke = $130 each
9-12     Bucky Souventhong, Jeff Jordan, Matt Bulfin, Dustin Byrd = $60 each
13-16    Jeff Crawford, Larry Nevel, Ken Hall, Jared McGee = $40 each
17-24     Andrew Stewart, Billy Tyler, Justin Kaleb, Nick Varner, Lane Simons, Ramone Rodriguez, Tommy Najar, Bill Huffman = $20 each
25-32 = Carlos Murillo, Michael Clay, Horace Godwin, Travis Barber, Tony Riley, Tim Hart, Bruce Nagle = $10 each
 
Payouts for the Sunday 9-Ball event are as follows:
 
1.    Larry Nevel = $400
2.    Bernardo Estevan = $300
3.    Michael Clay = $200
4.    Andy Stewart = $100