BJ Ussery
One week after posting a report that speculated on the ‘return’ of BJ Ussery to the world of top level pool competition, Ussery dominated a field of 39 entrants at another stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour (Aug. 18-19) and went undefeated to claim his first (reported) win in over six years. Though a strict closing time at the Gate City Billiards Club in Greensboro, NC prevented a final match against Zac Leonard, Ussery did go otherwise undefeated to claim the title.
Ussery and Leonard met first in the battle for the hot seat. Ussery had faced and defeated Jeff Little 11-2 in one winners’ side semifinal, as Leonard was sending Bradley Barker to the loss side 7-2 in the other one. Ussery claimed the hot seat 11-3 in what proved to be his last match of the weekend.
On the loss side, Little and Barker walked right into their second straight loss. Barker faced JR Poste, who’d defeated Wayne Church 6-3 and Lester Douglas 6-1 to reach him. Little picked up Bo Blakely, who’d eliminated Joe Woo and Michael Moore, both 6-4.
Blakely and Poste advanced to the quarterfinals with identical 6-3 wins over Little and Barker, respectively. By the same score, Blakely won the quarterfinal match against Poste that followed.
In the final match, the semifinals, Blakely and Leonard battled to double hill, before Leonard finished it at 7-5 to earn a second shot against Ussery in the hot seat. The venue enforced its strict closing time, and as the undefeated hot seat occupant, Ussery, having defeated Leonard in the hot seat match, was declared the event’s official winner.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards Club, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Professor Q-Ball. The Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour will return to Steakhorse Restaurant and Billiards for its next stop, a $1000-added event, scheduled for this weekend (Aug. 25-26). The added-money will increase to $1,500 if the event draws 80 entrants and to $2,000 with 100 entrants.
