Mike Davis, Jr.
Mike Davis, Jr. won the first North Carolina State 10-Ball Open in 2015, going undefeated to claim that first NC State 10-Ball title. The following year, though he made it to the hot seat, he was defeated in the finals by Shannon Fitch. Last year, Davis won four on the loss side before he was met and defeated in the semifinals by Reymart Lim, who went on to capture the title. This year, on the weekend of July 13-14, Davis once again came from the loss side, and in a re-match against Lim in the finals, he re-captured the NC State title. Held under the auspices of the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, the $500-added event drew 30 entrants to Brass Tap in Raleigh, NC.
The four competitors who squared off against each other in the two winners’ side semifinals ended up as the event’s top four finishers. Two of them, of course (the hot seat competitors), were guaranteed to be among the top three. The other two spots, especially given the competition on the loss side of this event, were up for grabs. Davis and defending champion Lim were two of the winners’ side semifinalists, while Justin Martin and the Q City 9-Ball Tour’s top winner over the past five years (JT Ringgold with 12 tour victories, including his latest, one week ago) squared off in the other one.
Lim sent Davis to the loss side 7-4, as Justin Martin gave up only a single rack to Ringgold. Lim claimed the hot seat 7-3 over Martin and waited on Davis’ return.
There were some familiar Southeast faces lurking on the loss side. Davis moved over and picked up one of them; BJ Ussery, who’d defeated Scott Roberts 7-2 and (another familiar competitor) BJ Hucks 7-5. Ringgold drew Jason Evans, who’d just eliminated Mark Ransom 7-1 and Kelly Farrar 7-2.
Davis and Ringgold advanced to the quarterfinals; Davis, 7-1 over Ussery and Ringgold, 7-3 over Evans. Ringgold’s effort to chalk up win #13 on this year’s Q City 9-Ball Tour was stopped by Davis, who defeated him 7-4. Davis then defeatEd Martin in the semifinals 7-2.
With one NC State 10-Ball title each to their credit, Davis and Lim met for a second time in the finals. The single race to 9 was characterized by some back and forth play that led to a number of tied scores, before Davis edged out in front to eventually win it 9-6.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Brass Tap for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (July 20), will be hosted by the Clubhouse in Lynchburg, VA.
