Like the 7th Annual Empire State Open/Pro 10-Ball Championships (separate story), the $2,000-added Empire State Amateur 9-Ball championship, held on the weekend of February 21-22, featured a smaller field than had been present in the past two years, though not by much. The 2013 and 2014 events each drew 104 entrants (the Open/Pro event had drawn 25 each in those two years). The 2015 Amateur event drew 101 to Raxx Billiards in West Hempstead, NY.
It was Amir Uddin, who emerged from the field of 101 to win the Empire State Amateur 9-Ball Championship title. He got by Mike Panzarella twice to complete his quest for that title.
They met first in the hot seat match, each having won their winners' side semifinal match 7-4; Panzarella over Alex Osipov, Uddin over George Poltorak. Uddin then claimed the hot seat over Panzarella 8-3 and waited on his return.
Osipov and Poltorak played only one match on the loss side. Osipov drew Arturo Reyes, who'd defeated Chulo Castro 7-4 and Greg Antonakis 8-4. Poltorak picked up Ray Feliciano, who'd eliminated Izzy Matos and Todd Trent, both double hill. Reyes defeated Antonakis 8-4, while Feliciano was busy surviving his third straight double hill match, against Poltorak.
Feliciano took the quarterfinal match 7-3 over Reyes, before being dropped into third place by Panzarella 7-5. Panzarella fought hard in the final that followed and forced a 15th and deciding game. Uddin, though, completed his undefeated run to claim the Empire State Championship Amateur title.
