Having tried the loss-side route on the Great Southern Billiard Tour in July, and come up just short, Phillip Britt opted for the shorter, undefeated route in October. He repeated that effort on the weekend of December 1-2 with an undefeated run through a field of 34 to win his second 2012 GSBT stop. The $1,000-added event was hosted by Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Britt was among the winners' side final four, facing Darren Blitch, as Gatlin Askins, his eventual hot seat and finals opponent, squared off against Allen Mixon. Britt advanced to the winners' side finals with a 9-3 victory over Blitch and was joined by Askins, who'd downed Mixon 7-6. Britt gave up only a single rack to Askins in the battle for the hot seat.
Blitch moved west where he met up with Dennis Crist, who'd defeated Scott Lewis 6-1 and Mike Slaughter 6-3. Mixon picked up Belinda Calhoun, who'd given up only three in matches against Jason Martin (7-1) and Scott Roberts (7-2). Calhoun got into the quarterfinals with a 7-4 win over Mixon. Crist joined her after a 6-7 victory against Blitch.
Calhoun got a step closer to the winners' circle with a 7-5 victory over Crist in the quarterfinals, but fell to Askins 7-3 in the semifinals. Askins chalked up three more racks against Britt in the finals than he had in the hot seat match, but Britt prevailed 9-4 to take his second GSBT title at Shore Thing Billiards.
Tour directors Shannon Daulton and Marge Cooper thanked Shore Thing Billiards' owners Brent and Ann Hudgins for their continued support of the tour. The next stop on the GSBT, a $1,000-added event, is scheduled for December 8-9 at Raisin' Cain's in Inman, SC.
