Williams takes two out of three over DeMarco to win Bank event on the GSBT

Brandon Williams, a 20-year old from Ohio, defeated heavily favored Louis DeMarco in the Bank event of the Great Southern Billiard Tour stop on the weekend of February 26-27. The $500-added amateur event, run in conjunction with a 9-Ball event, drew the maximum 64 entrants to Michael's Billiards in Fairfield, OH.

The Banks event was set up as a race to three on the winners' side and two on the one-loss. Williams and Demarco met first in the battle for the hot seat, after Williams had sent George Rothrock west in a double hill contest, and Demarco had shutout Sam Kirby. In their first of three, Williams gained the hot seat with a 3-1 victory.

By virtue of the race-to-two format on the one-loss side, all of the matches in that bracket were either shutouts or double hill battles. Rothrock picked up Vincent Vaughn, who'd shut out his previous two opponents, Robert Frost and Chuck Raulston (winner of the 9-ball event).  Kirby drew Greg Randall, who'd shut out Kevin Nichols and defeated Gerald Reichley, double hill. Randall shut out Kirby and moved into the quarterfinals with a 6-1 game record over his last three matches. Rothrock defeated Vaughn, double hill, to join him. Rothrock defeated Randall, double hill, and turned to face the last opponent separating him from a rematch versus Williams.  Demarco denied him the opportunity, defeating him in the semifinals, double hill, and claiming the Williams re-match.

The opening set of the true double elimination final was played under the winners' side rule of the race to three and Demarco took the opening set 3-1.  In the second set, with each player carrying a single loss, the race downshifted to two games. Williams took the second set 2-1 to bring home the event title.