Shaun Wilkie and Brian Deska came in to the May 10-11 stop on the Action Pool Tour at the top of the tour's rankings; Wilkie on top and Deska in second place. Deska had edged closer to the top after winning the fourth stop on the tour in April. They met in this most recent fifth stop on the tour in a winners' side final eight match that sent Deska to the losers' bracket. Wilkie, though, joined him after meeting up with Larry Kressel in a winners' side semifinal, and then, was eliminated by Deska in the quarterfinals. Deska went on to meet and defeat Kressel in the finals of the event that drew 68 entrants to Diamond Billiards in Midlothian, VA.
Deska's path to the winners' circle went through Meghan Knight, Paul Helms, and Scott Roberts before moving to the loss side after a double hill battle against Wilkie. Wilkie moved on to a fateful meeting against Kressel in a winners' side semifinal, while Danny Mastermaker met up with John Newton in the other. Kressel gave up only a single rack to Wilkie, and in the hot seat match, met up with Mastermaker, who'd defeated Newton 7-4. Kressel then sent Mastermaker to the semifinals 7-3 and waited in the hot seat for Deska.
Deska moved over to meet and defeat Chris Bruner 6-2, and then, survived a double hill match against Brian Bryant, to draw Newton. Wilkie, in the meantime, drew Eric Moore, who'd gotten by Scott Roberts and Dan Madden, both 6-3. Deska and Wilkie met for a quarterfinal re-match, once Deska had eliminated Newton 6-4 and Wilkie had dispatched Moore 6-1. Deska exacted his revenge, barely, defeating Wilkie 6-5 and then eliminated Mastermaker 6-4 in the semifinals. Deska completed his loss-side run with a 9-5 victory over Kressel in the finals, edging him within about 500 points of Wilkie in the tour standings.
The sixth stop on the Action Pool Tour, scheduled for June 7-8, will be hosted by Breakers Sky Lounge in Herndon, VA.
