Jayce Little
When last we saw 15-year-old Jayce Little, in May of this year, he was coming from the loss side at the 4th Annual Brian James Memorial in Bristol, TN to challenge the eventual winner, Eric Roberts, in the finals. Though he’d been a semi-regular competitor on the Junior International Championships’ series of events, Little’s runner-up finish at that event in Bristol went into our AZBilliards ‘books’ as his first recorded payout in a regional tour event. This past weekend (Sat., Aug. 12), he made a second entry into his player profile, once again coming from the loss side, but this time, chalking up his first regional tour win on the Stroker’s Pool Tour.
When last we saw runner-up Jody Musselman, he was finishing as runner-up to Jonathan Ailstock on the same tour. Musselman had two shots at Ailstock back in June, hot seat and finals, but couldn’t prevent Ailstock from recording his second straight win on the tour. This time out, he faced Little three times; hot seat and two sets of a double-elimination final. Musselman claimed the hot seat, but Little won the two-set final and took home his first major event title. The $500-added event drew 18 entrants to Wolf’s Den Billiards in Roanoke, VA.
Little got by Justin Cason 5-2 and Damien Brads 5-4 (Brads racing to 6) to draw Zachary Hampton in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Musselman, in the meantime, survived two straight, double-hill matches against Scott Largen and (another junior competitor) Precilia Kinsley to face Daniel Adams in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Musselman downed Adams 5-1 and advanced to the hot seat match. Little joined him after defeating Hampton 5-6 (Hampton racing to 8). Musselman then gave up just one rack to Little and claimed the hot seat.
On the loss side, Danny Shumate and another junior competitor, Jas Makhani (winner of the 14U Boys 9-Ball title at the 2023 BEF Junior Nationals last month), both of whom had been defeated in two of the winners’ side quarterfinals won two loss-side matches before meeting up with the two competitors who’d sent them over, just not by the opponent that sent them. Makhani, who’d lost his winners’ side quarterfinal to Adams, came to the loss side, defeating Dylan Carr 7-3 and Justin Cason 7-2 to draw Zachary Hampton, who’d sent Shumate to the loss side just ahead of following him over. It was Adams who drew Shumate, who’d follow his loss to Hampton by eliminating Jeff Little, double hill, and Damien Brads 5-2. No matter how it turned out, neither Shumate or Makhani were going to get the opportunity for a rematch against the opponent who’d sent them to the loss side.
As it turned out, neither of them made it to the quarterfinals. Adams defeated Shumate 7-4, while Hampton and Makhani locked up in a double-hill match that eventually sent Hampton to those quarterfinals against Adams. Hampton then eliminated Adams 8-1, only to be sidelined himself, by Jayce Little, who defeated him 5-5 in the semifinals (Hampton racing to 8).
Little reversed his hot seat ‘fortunes’ in the opening set of the true double-elimination finals, defeating Musselman 5-1 and forcing the second set. Little gave up one more rack in the second set, downing Musselman 5-2 to claim the event title.
With special thanks to Wolf’s Den for their continued support as the tour prepares to begin its second year, Tour Director Tim Bryant announced that the second-season opener will be hosted by Wolf’s Den. Scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 9-10, the event will feature two tournaments; a 9-ball, handicapped bar box tournament and a One Pocket tournament that will play out on the venue’s 9 ft. tables.
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