The Great Southern Billiard Tour headed to Sanford, North Carolina, this weekend (November 15th-16th) to meet up at Speak Eazy Billiards. The sixty-six player amateur only main event was streamlined on both days for those viewers unable to attend.
This weekend's event leads up to the long awaited Players 10-Ball Championship at King Street Billiards in Fayetteville, North Carolina, beginning on Tuesday, November 18th and being played through Sunday, November 23rd. If you didn't already know, the week will hold a $5,000 guaranteed added one-pocket event (limited to 64 players); and a $20,000 guaranteed added ten-ball event (limited to 256 players). Many top names have already confirmed their intent to show and AZBilliards will be providing brackets throughout the week with the GSBT offering live streaming online. Guess none of us will get work done this week!
Back to the main event from this weekend, at the end of the day on Saturday, only sixteen remained in the main event, but a ten-ball ring game at $100/man took place that evening with Tony Morrison taking top place ($800), while Chris Adams held off the remaining players for second and $200.?
The day began on Sunday with the winner's side of the brackets tapering off as Eddie Little (d. Tony Morrison 8-6), Glenn Russell (d. Joe Williams 8-7), Russell Sasser (d. John Haefka 8-2), and Shawn Ray (d. Larry Faulk 8-6) pushed past their opponents to begin the trek to the hot-seat, which would eventually end up being set between Sasser and Smith. Sasser held off Smith quite handily with an 8-2 finish.
On the one-loss side, the money rounds started to fill out their respective placings. Dana Hallat took down Joe Russo 8-5, Scott Lewis bested Greg Dix 8-4, Brian Overman was sent home by Barry Mashburn 8-4, and Sammy Odom took control of his set over Tony Williams 8-5. Taking home 9th-12th place honors, Dana Hallat (d. by Tony Morrison 8-7), Joe Williams (d. by Scott Lewis 8-2), Barry Mashburn (d. by John Haefka on the hill 8-7), and Sammy Odom (d. by Larry Faulk 8-5).
Lewis (d. Tony Morrison 8-4) and Faulk (d. John Haefka 8-2) would move on in the next rounds, ending Tony Morrison and John Haefka's event. Lewis became a monster after that round and took down Shawn Ray 8-1, Eddie Little in the quarters 8-1, and Glenn Russell 8-4 in the semis before meeting up with Sasser in the finals. The first set of the finals ended with Lewis on fire taking the win 8-1 and then in the second set, he sealed the deal going 8-3.
Congratulations to Scott Lewis and to the highest lady finishers Terri Faulk and Rita McLeod – both finished in the same bracket so a play-off took place for the $50 prize which would eventually go to Faulk.
For more information contact Shannon Daulton at (865) 850-4572 or email greatsouthernbilliardtour@yahoo.com.
