Omer Abbasi
At the midway point of B & L Billiards Tournaments’ 10-Ball Mini Series of 12 events last month (May 28), Omer Abbasi, who’d won two of the first six to take an early lead in the standings, had dropped to third place. At the conclusion of Stop #3 in March, Abbasi and Derek Crothers, who’d won the series opener in January, were in a tie for the series’ top spot. Crothers took advantage of a ‘double points’ opportunity in the series at (Stop #5), as did Frank Wei at Stop #4, when Crothers did not compete. They both chalked up wins in those two events. Abbasi, in the meantime, finished in the tie for 13th at both.
This past weekend (Sun., June 25), Abbasi became the first person to win three of the event series with an undefeated run at Stop #7. It tightened the race a little, because Abbasi won it, defeating Frank Wei twice, hot seat and finals, while Crothers did not compete. But as the ‘race’ to the finish line continues, the three ‘horses’ out in front, in order, are Crothers, Wei and Abbasi. Stop #7 drew a full field of 32 entrants to Bank Shot Bar & Grill in Laurel, MD.
Abbasi opened his campaign with a 6-2 victory over Erik Hagen and then survived a double-hill challenge from Ricky Bareiss, Jr. A subsequent win over John Oliveras 6-4 put Abbasi into a winners’ side semifinal against Paul (Sang) Oh. Wei, in the meantime, opened strong with a shutout of Stephen Hoke, Jr. before running into a double-hill battle against Illia Kozlov, which, like Abbasi, he survived. Wei moved on to send Huberth Alvarado to the loss side and face Hussain Alshola in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Abbasi won his second double-hill fight, over Oh, and advanced to the hot seat match. Wei joined him following a 6-1 victory over Alshola. Abbasi claimed the hot seat 6-1 over Wei.
On the loss side, Alshola picked up John Oliveras, who’d followed his loss to Abbasi with victories over James Harris and Ricky Bareiss, Sr., both 6-3. Oh drew Curtis Branker, who’d lost his opening-round match to Harris, double hill, and was working on a four-match, loss-side streak that had recently eliminated Alex Mfugale 6-4 and, double hill, Rafael Reyes.
Oh gave up just a single rack to Branker and advanced to the quarterfinals. Oliveras eliminated Alshola 6-3 and joined him. Oh gave up another single rack, this time to Oliveras and moved on to the semifinals, where Wei defeated him for a second shot at Abbasi.
This time, Wei put up a fight. Instead of just chalking up a single rack against Abbasi, Wei battled him to double hill. Abassi, though, dropped the final 10-ball to claim his third B &L Billiards 10-Ball Mini Series event.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Bank Shot Bar & Grill for their hospitality, as well as all of the participants for supporting the tour and “putting (themselves) out there, week after week, to challenge (themselves).” The next stop on the B & L 10-Ball Mini Series, scheduled for Sunday, July 16, will again be hosted by Bank Shot Bar & Grill in Laurel, MD.
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