Chumreon Sutcharitakul, John Morrison, Owner-Operator Kevin Buckley and Tony Liang
It was just about this time last year (June 6-8) that John Morrison won the Men's Leisure division of the five-event, New York City 8-Ball Championships, the first tournament held under the auspices of Tony Robles' Silent Assassin Productions. Now, a year later, on Sunday, June 7, at a $3,500-added Tri-State 9-Ball event that drew 39 entrants to Gotham City Billiards, in Brooklyn, New York, Morrison went undefeated and chalked up his first win on the Tri-State Tour.
Following victories over Jaydev Zaveri, Mike Strassberg, Amy Yu and Ambi Estevez, Morrison moved into a winners' side semifinal versus Raul Calderon. Chumreon Sutcharitakul, in the meantime, squared off against Morrison's eventual finals opponent, Tony Liang. Morrison downed Calderon 6-4 and faced Sutcharitakul, who'd sent Liang to the loss side 7-5. Morrison claimed the hot seat, and, as it turned out, his last win of the event 8-4.
Liang moved to the loss side, where he was met by Kazuya Takagishi, who'd just completed two double hill wins over Koka Davladze and Tim Fitzsimmons. Calderon picked up Jose Palacios, who'd defeated Pat Mareno 6-4 and Ambi Estevez 6-1. Liang and Calderon got right back to work; Liang eliminating Takagishi 7-4, and Calderon ending Palacios' day 6-5.
Liang then defeated Calderon 8-4 in the quarterfinals, and followed up with a 7-4 victory that put Sutcharitakul out of business, and effectively, ended the tournament. Morrison and Liang, due to the late hour, opted out of playing a final match, leaving Morrison, undefeated, to claim the event title.
Tour representatives thanked Kevin and Isabel Buckley and their staff at Gotham City Billiards for their continuing support of the tour, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Focus Cases by John Barton, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Focus Apparel. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Saturday, June 13, will be hosted by Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ.
