Adam Bryan, a B player, took advantage of a handicap to gain the hot seat in a battle versus Greg Smith, an A player at a November 26-27 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour. Smith, though, returned from the semifinals to defeat him twice and take the event title. The $1,500-added event drew 32 entrants to Mickey Milligan's Billiards & Pub in New Bern, NC.
From among the winners' side final four, Smith, in a straight-up race to nine games between two A players, prevailed in a double hill battle against Sidney Champion. Bryan, in the meantime, facing an A player, Larry Faulk, also survived a double hill battle and advanced to the hot seat match with a 7-8 victory. Bryan then convincingly sent Smith to the semifinals with a 7-5 win that left him in the hot seat.
Champion moved to the loss side and picked up Charlie Brinson, who'd gotten by Delton Howard 7-5, and Jason Lawson 7-2. Faulk drew Montez Lloyd, who'd defeated Carlos Cruz 9-2 and Terri Faulk 9-5 to reach him. Brinson shut out Champion to advance to the quarterfinals, and was joined by Faulk, who'd downed Lloyd 9-6. Faulk then handed Brinson a dose of his own shutout medicine, winning 7-0 to face Smith in the semifinals.
In a straight-up race to nine, Smith earned his re-match versus Bryan with a 9-7 win over Faulk. Over the next two games of the true double elimination final, Smith gave up only five racks – two in the opening set and one more in the second – to capture the event title.
Free entries were awarded to Terri Faulk and Jason Lawson for their 7th/8th place finish. Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Gerry Sheperd and the staff at Mickey Milligan's Billiards & Pub, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.
