BJ Ussery
In what shaped up to be only his second cash finish on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, Reid Vance, in agreement with BJ Ussery, opted out of a final match at the February 22-23 stop on the tour. It was Vance’s second finish as runner-up, having finished behind Ricky Bingham at a stop in September, 2018. Vance had gotten into the hot seat at that event, only to be double-dipped by Bingham in the true double elimination final. This time, around, at the same location – Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN – it was BJ Ussery in the hot seat, with Vance coming from the loss side to challenge and ultimately, to negotiate an equitable split of the top two cash prizes. The event drew 68 entrants to Borderline Billiards.
They might have met in the hot seat match, had Joe Edmisten not defeated Vance in one of the winners’ side semifinals 5-4 (Vance racing to 6). Edmisten went on to face Ussery, who’d sent Hank Powell west 12-4 in the other winners’ side semifinal. Ussery and Edmisten fought to double hill (11-4) before Ussery prevailed in what proved to be his last match.
On the loss side, Vance began his three-match trip back to the finals against Anthony Mabe, who’d defeated Tyler Mayfield 7-3 and Jaiden Hess 7-1 to reach him. Hank Powell picked up a rematch against a former junior player, Anthony Adams, whom he’d defeated in the event’s second round. Adams embarked on a nine-match, loss side winning streak that had most recently included victories over Matt Shaw 6-3 and Brandon Helton 6-1.
Vance got into the quarterfinals with a 6-4 win over Mabe. He was joined by Adams, who’d battled in his Powell rematch to double hill before advancing to take on Vance. Though Adams would battle Vance to double hill as well in those quarterfinals, Vance prevailed in the end.
Vance made short work of Edmisten in the semifinals that followed. Vance’s 6-1 victory assured him at minimum, another runner-up finish on the tour. The agreement with Ussery to split made it official. As the undefeated occupant of the hot seat, Ussery claimed the official title.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked Janet Atwell and her staff at Borderline Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Tickler Pool Ball Washing Machine. The next stop on the tour, scheduled for March 1-2, will be the 2020 NC State 9-Ball Open, a $500-added event, hosted by Randolph’s Billiards in Hickory, NC.
