Rapael DaBreo and Basdeo Sookhia
When Basdeo Sookhia reached the finals of the Tri-State Tour stop on Saturday, April 10, he stepped to the table having given up only a single rack in the last two matches that he'd played to get there. That single rack had been accomplished by his finals opponent, Raphael Dabreo, who stepped up to the finals table having just shut out his semifinals opponent, Gary Murgia. Sookhia went on to defeat DaBreo in the only set he'd need to win his first Tri-State Tour event. That $750-added, B-D handicapped event drew 24 entrants to Master Billiards in Queens, NY.
As Sookhia moved among the winners' side final four, he'd won half of the six matches he needed to seal the event victory. His opening three matches versus Ramilo Tanglao, Chris Karp and Trevor Heal were won by an aggregate score of 21-14. He won his final three by a score of 21-6, beginning with a 7-1 victory over DaBreo and a hot seat match shutout over Gary Murgia, who'd just sent Raul Reyes to the west bracket 7-2.
Moving over to the one-loss side, DaBreo picked up Rajesh Vannala, who'd defeated Yomaylin Feliz 8-6 and Ramon Feliciano 7-2 to reach him. Reyes drew Tanglao, who'd moved past Kapriel Delimelkonoglu 6-3 and Mike Harrington 6-2. DaBreo downed Vannala 7-6 to get into the quarterfinals, as Reyes moved to join him with a 7-5 win over Tanglao. Dabreo advanced to the semifinals with a 7-4 win over Reyes and then handed Murgia his second straight shutout defeat for a crack at Sookhia.
Sookhia and DaBreo traded racks to a 3-3 tie before DaBreo took two for a slim 5-3 lead. Sookhia came back with two of his own to knot things at 5-5, and then sank the 9-ball on the break to reach the hill first. Sookhia ran the final rack to take home his first Tri-State win.
