He literally took a parting shot. After two years of playing on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, Younger Chapman has had what tour director Herman Parker called "several close calls," including four occasions in which he was runner-up, but until Saturday, June 20, Chapman had yet to chalk up a win on the tour. According to Parker, Chapman is moving to western Kentucky in a couple of weeks, and apparently decided that on his last event before the move, he'd go undefeated to win his first event on the Q City 9-Ball Tour. The tournament drew 26 entrants to Buck's Billiards in Raleigh, NC.

 

Chapman advanced to a winners' side semifinal and defeated J.T. Ringold 7-3. Chapman was joined in the hot seat match by Anthony Mabe, who'd sent Ty Griffin west 6-4. Chapman claimed the hot seat over Mabe 7-3 and waited on the return of Paul Swinson.

 

On the loss side, Griffin drew Swinson, who'd defeated Travis Geurra 7-4 and Shane Hardie 6-5. Ringold picked up Tracy Callahan, who'd gotten by Vernon Rogers 5-4 and Alan Shaw 5-2 to reach him. Swinson shut Griffin out, and in the quarterfinals, faced Callaghan, who'd eliminated Ringold 5-4. 

 

Swinson took the quarterfinal match, defeating Callaghan 6-4, and then spoiled Mabe's bid for a second shot against Chapman, by defeating him in the semifinals 6-5. Chapman took the opening set of the potential true double elimination final 7-3, and took that parting shot to claim the event title.

The hot seat and finals of the Great Southern Billiard Tour (GSBT) stop on the weekend of January 14-15 was a familiar scene for Michael Fuller and B.J. Ussery. In 2011, the two met in the finals of the Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour six times, with Fuller winning all six of those final matchups. On the GSBT this past weekend, they were at it again, only this time, it was Ussery who survived their hot seat and final match to go undefeated. The $1,500 event drew 42 entrants to Brown’s Billiards in Raleigh, NC.

Their first matchup in this event occurred in the battle for the hot seat. They’d sent their winners’ side final four opponents west by identical 11-5 scores; Ussery over Younger Chapman and Fuller over Brad Shearer. They then battled to double hill, before Ussery prevailed to sit in the hot seat, waiting for Fuller’s return.

Fuller’s trip back was almost derailed by Brian White, who’d been sent to the loss side by Ussery in a winners’ side final eight contest. White then went on to chalk up four straight before falling to Fuller in the semifinals. White got by Johnny Griffin 11-7 and Larry Kressel 11-9 to pick up Shearer. Chapman drew James Blackburn, who’d defeated Dave Brown, double hill, and Vernon Rogers 7-5.  White moved into the quarterfinals with an 11-6 victory over Shearer, and was met by Blackburn, who’d survived a double hill struggle over Chapman. 

White advanced to the semifinals with an 11-6 victory over Blackburn, but had his four-match winning streak snapped by Fuller. Fuller dropped him into third place 11-9 and turned back for yet another finals match against Ussery. In the opening set of a potential true double elimination final, Ussery prevailed 11-9 to complete his undefeated weekend on the GSBT.

Tour director Shannon Daulton extended thanks to owners Dave and Inky Huffman and the staff of Brown’s Billiards, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.

Later this month, Daulton will travel to Elizabeth, IN to “do some playing of (his) own” at the Derby City Classic, scheduled for January 20-28. Next stop on the GSBT will be February 11-12 at QMaster Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA.