Ramon Feliciano, Vincent Morris and Frankie Scanlon
Vincent Morris returned to the Tri-State Tour winners' circle on Sunday, February 15, with an undefeated run through a field of 23. Having won two stops on the tour, four years ago (February and March, 2012), it was his first win since. The $750-added event was hosted by Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.
Following a double hill win in the opening round over Kevin Scalzitti, Morris went on to defeat Jamiyl Adams 7-5 and then meet Bryan Jeziorski in a winners' side semifinal. Frankie Scanlon, in the meantime, squared off against Ada Lio. Morris downed Jeziorski 7-4, as Scanlon was sending Lio to the losers' bracket 7-5. Morris took the hot seat with a 7-5 win over Scanlon and waited on what turned out to be the return of Ramon Feliciano.
Feliciano had been moved to the loss side by Lio 7-5 in the opening round of play. He won five straight, including 6-4 wins over Tony Ignomirello and Mike Strassberg to face Lio a second time. Jeziorski drew Jamiyl Adams, who'd survived a double hill fight against Luis Jimenez and defeated ChristIan Smith 7-4 to reach him. Feliciano successfully wreaked his vengeance on Lio 7-5, and in the quarterfinals, met Jeziorski, who'd defeated Adams, double hill.
In those quarterfinals, the first money round, Feliciano survived a double hill matchup against Jeziorski to face Scanlon in the semifinals. He defeated Scanlon 6-3 and got a shot at Morris, in the hot seat waiting for him.
It was a back and forth, double hill final. After trading racks in the opening two games, Morris moved ahead by two. Feliciano chalked up two to tie. Two more for Morris were followed by two more for Feliciano and the match was knotted at five. Feliciano reached the hill first, winning the 11th rack, but Morris tied it up for the third time and won the deciding game to claim the title.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Clifton Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Focus Cases by John Barton, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Focus Apparel. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for February 22, will be hosted by Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.
Brian Marshall wound his way through a field of Tri-State veterans to chalk up his first Tri-State win on Sunday, August 10. Marshall faced Ed Medina twice to complete his run; once in a winners' side semifinal and again in the finals. The $750-added event was hosted by Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.
Marshall's path through the field began with a win over Vinny Ferri, and was followed by victories over Ed Crespo and Vincent Morris, which set him up for his first encounter against Ed Medina. Tony Ignomirello, in the meantime, faced Mike Strassberg, who would go on to win $750 in the event's Break and Run contest. Marshall and Medina chalked up their first of two double hill matches against each other. Marshall prevailed and moved into the hot seat match against Ignomirello, who'd defeated Strassberg 6-3. Marshall sent Ignomirello to the semifinals 7-5 and waited on Medina.
Medina moved to the loss side and ran into young Thomas Rice, who'd defeated Emily Duddy 7-4, and just did get by Vincent Sauro 7-6. Strassberg met up with Allison Honeymar, who had gotten by Mike Erickson 6-3 and given up only a single rack to Dave Fitzpatrick.
Medina began his campaign for a rematch against Marshall with a 7-5 win over Rice, as Strassberg ended Honeymar's day 6-3. Medina won the quarterfinal match over Strassberg 7-4 and then locked up in double hill struggle with Ignomirello in the semifinals, for the right to challenge Marshall in the hot seat.
Medina got his chance and made good, early use of the opportunity, opening up a 3-0 lead over Marshall in the finals. Marshall, though, fought right back and with some racks traded, the two were tied at 4-4. They were also tied at 5-5 and 6-6, before Marshall sealed the deal to claim his first win on the Tri-State Tour.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff of Clifton Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Qpod, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Focus Cases by John Batron, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics , and Focus Apparel. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for August 16, will be hosted by Gotham City Billiards.
Though he and Borana Andoni ended up splitting the first and second place prizes of the August 18 stop on the Tri-State Tour, Vincent Morris, from his position in the hot seat, was able to lay claim to his first Tri-State event title. The $1,500-added, A-D handicapped 9-ball event was hosted by Gotham City Billiards, in Brooklyn, NY.
With victories over Raymond Lee, Ben Castaneros and Luis Jimenez, Morris moved among the winnners’ side final four to face Mike Harrington. Andoni, in the meantime, squared off against Koka Davladze. Morris got into the hot seat match with a 6-3 win over Harrington, and in the hot seat match, faced Andoni, who’d sent Davladze west 6-3. In what would prove to be their only meeting, Morris gained the hot seat with a 7-3 win over Andoni.
Harrington moved to the loss bracket to meet up with Mel McMullen, who’d handed Jimenez his second defeat 7-2 and then survived a double hill match versus Keith Diaz. Davladze met up with Gary O’Callaghan, who’d eliminated Ed Culhane 7-2 and Ron Gabia 7-3. Davladze moved into the quarterfinals with a double hill win over O’Callaghan and was met by Harrington, who’d defeated McMullen 7-3.
It was Harrington, with an 8-5 win over Davladze, who got to face Andoni in the semifinals. She ended his day with a double hill win, at which point, she and Morris opted to split the top two prizes, and declare Morris the official winner.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership (Kevin and Isabell Buckley) and staff at Gotham City Billiards, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Poison Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics.
Kevin Falco recovered from a defeat among the winners’ side final four and returned to challenge and defeat hot seat occupant, Elvis Rodriguez, in the A-D handicapped portion of the May 5-6 Predator Tour Stop. The $500-added amateur event drew 64 entrants to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY.
It was Vincent Morris who sent Falco west 7-5 in the winners’ side semifinals, as Rodriguez was busy sending Joe Palone over, 7-4. Rodriguez moved into the hot seat with a 7-4 victory, and waited on Falco.
Falco went on to win two straight double hill matches; over Palone in the quarterfinals and his re-match versus Morris in the semifinals. He completed his tournament bid with a 12-5 victory over Rodriguez in the finals.
Tour director Tony Robles thanked the ownership and staff at Gotham City Billiards, as well as sponsors Predator Cues, The National Amateur Pool League, Delta-13 racks, Poison Cues, PoolOnTheNet.com, and NYCGrind.
On Saturday, February 4, Vincent Morris worked his way undefeated through a field of 41 entrants, including Mel McCullen twice, to win his first victory on the Tri-State Tour. The $1,000-added, C/D handicapped 9-Ball event was hosted by Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY.
Morris’ seven-match path to the victory saw him win just over twice as many games as he lost (43-21). Wins over Thaddeus Moses, Vincent Loretta, Rick Shellhouse and Andrew Cleary put him among the winners’ side final four, where he faced McCullen for the first time. Joining them for the winners’ side semifinal were Dennis Kennedy and David Danchak. Morris sent McCullen west 6-3 and in the battle for the hot seat, faced Kennedy, who’d defeated Danchak double hill. Morris then sent Kennedy to the semifinals with a 6-3 victory and awaited McCullen’s return.
Both McCullen and Danchak moved to the loss side and faced opponents who’d won two straight double hill matches to reach them. McCullen drew Mishak Daniel, who’d squeaked by Mike Harrington and Tyronnie Harlee. Danchak picked up Randy Mackin, who’d downed both Andrew Cleary and Steve Wade 6-5. McCullen eliminated Daniel 7-3 and was joined in the quarterfinals by Mackin, who’d defeated Danchak 6-3.
McCullen got by Mackin 7-4, and then, for a second crack at Morris, defeated Kennedy in the semifinals 6-3. Morris, though, was not to be denied, and repeated his earlier victory with another 6-3 win over McCullen that secured his first Tri-State victory.
Tour representatives thanked Gotham City Billiard owners Kevin and Isabelle Buckley, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Ron Tarr Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for February 14, will be a $500-added, A/D handicapped event, hosted by Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ.
Dan Cintron won his second straight event on the Tri-State Tour with an undefeated day on Sunday, December 18. It was also the second time in a row that the final match proved to be the battle for the hot seat, as Cintron and Carl Yusuf Khan (like Cintron and Rick Shellhouse, a week earlier) opted out of a final match. The $1,000-added, A/D handicapped, 9-ball event drew 34 entrants to the Cue Bar in Bayside, NY.
Cintron and Khan met first (and last) among the winners’ side final four. An 8-6 win for Cintron sent Khan to the loss-side, from where he’d return to challenge in the finals. Cintron squared off in the hot seat match against Steve Wade, who’d defeated Keith Diaz 6-4. Cintron played his last match and got into the hot seat with a 10-8 victory over Wade.
Khan moved over and picked up Gary Murgia, who’d defeated Raul Reyes 7-5 and survived a double hill battle against Keith Adamik (an earlier Khan victim). Diaz drew Rene Villalobos, who’d gotten by Thomas Shuler, double hill, and Vincent Morris 6-2. Khan defeated Murgia 7-3, and was joined in the quarterfinal match by Villalobos, who’d eliminated Diaz 6-4.
Villalobos put up a quarterfinal fight that went double hill, but Khan prevailed to face Wade in the semifinals. In what proved to be the final match of the evening, Khan dropped Wade into third place 7-3, at which point, he and Cintron chose to split the top prizes.
Tour representatives thanked Sammy, Nikko and Richard of the Cue Bar for their congeniality, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Ron Tarr Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour will be in 2012, at a $2,000-added, A/D handicapped event, offering Double Points to be held at Gotham Billiards in Brooklyn, NY, January 7-8.
It was Billy Cheng‘s second official victory on the Tri-State Tour, but the first in which he battled an opponent in the finals. Back in April, Cheng was the winner of record when he and Raul Reyes opted out of a final match because it was set to commence at 4 a.m. on Easter Sunday morning. Eight months later, on Saturday, December 3, Cheng had to play an extra match when Carl Yusuf Khan kept him out of the hot seat, but returned to defeat Khan in the finals and chalk up the “W.” The $1,250-added event drew 44 entrants to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY.
Following victories over Samson Kelly, Raphael DaBreo, Tien “Max” Tran, and Joei Huang, Cheng moved among the winners’ side final four to face Kapriel Delimelkonoglu. Khan, in the meantime, squared off against Vincent Morris. Cheng downed Delimelkonoglu 7-5, as Khan was busy sending Morris west 7-3. Khan won his last match by prevailing in the battle for the hot seat 7-4, and waited for Cheng’s return.
Morris and Delimelkonoglu moved to the loss-side and lasted only a single round. Morris picked up Gary Murgia, who’d defeated Duane Toney 7-2 and Joei Huang 7-5 to reach him. Delimelkonoglu had the misfortune of running into Dave Shlemperis, who, like Cheng, had been sent west by Khan, and was working his way back with a re-match on his mind. Shlemperis got by Ben Cateneros 7-5 and Andrzej Kaldan 7-6 to face Delimelkonoglu, and then survived a double hill match against him to get into the quarterfinals. He was joined by Murgia, who’d defeated Morris, also double hill.
In what was a second straight double hill match for both of them, it was Shlemperis prevailing over Murgia in those quarterfinals to meet Cheng in the semifinals. Both Shlemperis and Cheng were looking for a second crack against Khan, and it was Cheng who earned it with a 7-3 victory.
Khan took the first two games of the single, race-to-9 final match, and Cheng took the next two. They traded racks to a 5-5 tie, at which point, Cheng took a two-rack lead. Khan came back to win one more, before Cheng won the last two. He sunk the 9-ball on the break in the final game to capture the event title.
Tour representatives thanked Kevin and Isabel Buckley of Gotham Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Ron Tarr Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. Next stop on the Tri-State Tour is scheduled for Saturday, December 10, at Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ.
