Forty-four players met at Capones Billiards Lounge in Springhill, Florida for the November 6th edition of the KBP Fury Amateur 9-Ball tour. Tournament favorites were lodged on the winner?s side by day?s end with Julio Aquino facing Adam Wheeler and Robert Noon matching up with Mike Najarian. Wheeler overcame Aquino 7-6 and Najarian outshot Noon 7-3.
For the hot seat Wheeler took the early lead but Najarian tied it back up at 5-all and went on to capture the next two games for the win at 7-5. Wheeler bounced to the B-side to wait for an opponent. Aquino had just taken a 5-3 win over another tournament favorite, Justin Hall. Aquino went on to a rematch against Richey Orem who had been put on the B-side by Aquino in an earlier hill-hill match. Aquino and Orem took it to the hill again but Aquino was the one to run the last rack for a 5-4 win. Aquino was one step closer to the finals, advancing to the semis for another match against Wheeler. Wheeler was the first to the hill at 4-3 but Aquino ran out from the 2-ball to tie the match at hill-hill. After getting an open shot on the one in the next game, Aquino ran out the rack to win 5-4 and secure his spot in the finals.
Aquino and Najarian met for the finals and Aquino made use of the first break by sinking three balls and running out for a 1-0 lead. Najarian in turn pocketed a ball on his break and also ran out to tie 1-1. The players traded the next six racks tying at 4-4 and then Najarian made his move, securing the next two games for the first lead of the match at 6-4. Aquino responded with tight safety play, gaining a few open shots to spur run-outs leading to an 8-6 score in favor of Aquino. Najarian then capitalized on a missed four-ball by Aquino to take the next rack and followed that up with a 2-9 combo off the break to tie again at 8-8 for a one game decision in the race to nine. Aquino was up to break and made three balls on the break including the 9 kicked into the corner pocket for the win.
Results:
1st Julio Aquino $ 570
2nd Mike Najarian $370
3rd Adam Wheeler $150
4th Richey Orem $80
5th/6th Robert Noon, Justin Hall $60
7th/8th Dave Ross, Tim Daniel $40
