While almost every top action player in the country was in Indiana for the Derby City Classic, that didn't keep the East Coast players from making their way to Diamond Eight Billiards in Latham, NY for the Joss NE 9-Ball Tour Stop. A field of 56 players came out to compete for the $1500 in added prize money.
Danny Hewitt took the hot-seat in this one with a dominating 9-2 win over Jarrod Clowery. As if that loss wasn't bad enough for Clowery, he then found himself on the wrong end of a 9-3 match with Bucky Souvanthong. Souvanthong had lost to tour director Mike Zuglan on Saturday and rode the left side of the board to the finals.
Souvanthong came out of the gate strong and held an early 3-1 lead before Hewitt won six straight games to take control at 7-3. Souvanthong won the next three to claw back within one at 7-6, but that was the closest he would get as Hewitt won three of the next four games for the 9-7 win and first place.
The second chance tournament on Sunday drew 19 players and Redgie Cutler looked unbeatable in this one. Unbeatable only until the finals though, as Phil Davis scored back to back 3-1 wins to capture first place and $330 in prize money.
Another winner on Sunday was spectator Carmella Runza who won the $1200 Joss Cue raffle.
The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour will be at Main Street Billiards in Amsterdam, NY in three weeks for their next tour stop on Feb 19-20.
Mike Zuglan is already accepting entries for Turning Stone XVII, which
will take place August 11-14. Interested players are urged to call
Zuglan at 518-356-7163.
