In winning his third overall Great Southern Billiard Tour title on the weekend of July 12-13, B.J. Hucks had to contend with a very determined Paul Bailey, who lost his opening match and embarked on a nine-match, loss-side winning streak that put him into the finals, late on Saturday night. Hucks prevailed to go undefeated in the $1,000-added event which drew 38 entrants to Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Before Hucks could contend with Bailey, at work on his loss-side streak of victories, Hucks advanced to a winners' semifinal against Guy Faulk; a formidable challenge, with Hucks needing to reach nine games before Faulk won three. Josh Richard and Bruce Luttrell squared off in the other. Hucks downed Faulk double hill, 9-2, as Richard sent Luttrell to the losers' bracket 5-3. Hucks got into the hot seat with a 9-2 win over Richard and waited for Bailey to complete his loss-side run.
With four down and five to go, Bailey defeated Gatlin Askins 6-3 and Dennis Rose 6-2, to pick Luttrell. Faulk drew Cliff Cribb, who'd gotten by Hank Warner 7-3 and Keith Crawford 7-2. Bailey eliminated Luttrell 6-5, and in the quarterfinals, met up with Faulk, who'd defeated Cribb 3-5. Again, Faulk's handicap brought his opponent, in this case, Bailey, to the brink. Bailey prevailed 6-2 and moved right into another double hill fight; this time, against Richard in the semifinals.
Bailey won his second straight double hill battle, and completed his nine-win, loss-side streak for a crack at Hucks in the hot seat. Hucks ended the streak with a 9-3 victory in the finals.
