Sally Timko

Reyes and Fisher Name Billiard Players of the Decade

Efren Reyes, who amassed nearly $1.7 million in prize money, and Allison Fisher, who won 27 Women’s Professional Billiard Association Classic Tour titles, were named Player of the Decade by the United States Billiard Media Association, the USBMA announced today.

Reyes, the 55-year-old Filipino sensation, won more than 20 major men’s professional pool titles during the decade, starting with his $30,000 Camel Pro 8-Ball Championship win in 2000. Of his 22 major victories, the versatile Reyes won four one-pocket crowns, four 8-ball titles and 14 9-ball titles. He also won the Derby City All- Around title three times.

But it was during the short-lived International Pool Tour that Reyes scored his biggest wins. In three multi-million dollar events, Reyes won two titles (2005 IPT King of the Hill and 2006 IPT North American Open) and pocketed $765,000.

Reyes and Fisher captured the top honors in the Player of the Decade voting held by the USBMA.

Fisher, meanwhile, continued her dominance over women’s pool for a second straight decade. After winning 26 Classic Tour titles during the ’90s, the former snooker champion added 27 more from 2000-2010. In addition to her WPBA Classic Tour titles, Fisher, 41, earned the gold medal at the 2009 World Games, was the 2000 BCA U.S. Open 14.1
champion and won the Tournament of Champions five times. She earned $637,000 over the 10-year span.

Additionally, both Reyes and Fisher were elected into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame during the decade, with Reyes being inducted in 2003 and Fisher in 2009.
In Player of the Decade voting, Reyes out-pointed Johnny Archer, Mika Immonen and Ralf Souquet. Fisher was named woman player of the decade on all but two ballots, with Karen Corr and Jasmin Ouschan each receiving one vote.

Ussery Ices the Jacoby Field

Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour / Burlington, NC

by Lea Andrews

Is there a better way to spend an icy, snowy, wintry weekend than in the heat of competition? The four men who braved conditions hazardous enough to push North Carolina into a state of emergency didn’t think so, and BJ Ussery went undefeated at Family Billiards in Burlington, NC, the weekend of January 30-31 to get a huge chunk of the guaranteed $1,000-added prize fund: the guaranteed $1,000 for first place.

After getting past recent winner Tony Morrison 7-4, Ussery was in the hot seat match against Derek Davis, who’d breezed past Jason Carter 7-2. But Davis came out on the wrong end of his 7-2 match against Ussery, and he moved west. On the other side of the bracket, Morrison shut out Carter to reach the semifinals against Davis, whom he held to three games to get his rematch with Ussery.

In the single race-to-11 finals, Ussery got out to a 2-0 lead, and a break and run put him at 3-0. Morrison rallied a bit, taking the next rack and breaking and running the one after to make it 3-2, but Ussery took five straight to make it 7-2. The two went back and forth a bit to get the score to 9-6, but from there, Ussery took charge, finishing up his weekend of undefeated play with a break and run and earning his first Jacoby win this season 11-6.

After getting past recent winner Tony Morrison 7-4, Ussery was in the hot seat match against Derek Davis, who’d breezed past Jason Carter 7-2.

In the early bird tournament Friday night, Morrison took care of Chris Turner 7-5 in the finals, and on Saturday, Devon Gibson topped the juniors’ division, while Gladys Ratliff topped the ladies’, and as a bonus, had her ticket drawn in the raffle for the Jacoby cue. The second chance event on Sunday went to Derek Davis, and the break and run contest will be at $75 per ball at the next event.

Results:

1st BJ Ussery $1,000
2nd Tony Morrison $200

Evans Closes in on 50 Straight Wins

World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association Press Release

If Reanne Evans wins her first match at the South Coast Classic in Eastbourne this weekend, she will have chalked up a staggering 50 straight singles victories on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association (WLBSA) circuit.

The 24-year-old five-time WLBSA world champion will be in action at the Q-Ball Snooker Club on Saturday (February 6). The tournament kicks off at 10am.

Evans, who is also chasing a 21st WLBSA title, said: “It’s been a while since the last event and I’m looking forward to trying to maintain my unbeaten run.”

In last year’s South Coast Classic final, Evans beat Maria Catalano – her good friend from Dudley – 3-0. Catalano is the 27-year-old cousin of Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Among those hoping to end Evans’ run are Emma Bonney, the world number three from Portsmouth , and Katie Henrick, the world number four from Bickley , Kent .

Ten-year-old Jasmine Bolsover, based at Woking Snooker Centre, will make her WLBSA debut in the South Coast Classic.

Jasmine is a product of the association’s scholarship scheme which offers free membership and free tournament entry to girls aged under 16.

She has already impressed with a 2-1 victory over Eastbourne ’s Martina Lumsden (the world number nine) on the Ladies Tour run by the English Association of Snooker & Billiards.

A high-quality 23-strong field also includes eight-time German national champion Natascha Niermann and Derby ’s 13-year-old England international Hannah Jones.

The South Coast Classic is the fourth of six ranking events this season. The draw takes place at 9.45am. Colin Selby is the Tournament Director.

If Reanne Evans wins her first match at the South Coast Classic in Eastbourne this weekend, she will have chalked up a staggering 50 straight singles victories on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association (WLBSA) circuit.

South Coast Classic

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Q-Ball Snooker Club

126-134 Seaside

Eastbourne

BN22 7QP

Tel: 01323 724995‎

Hall Green

Birmingham

B28 8LQ

Tel: 0870 840 7380

Picture by Monique Limbos

Reanne Evans

Wilms Finds a Way
Billiard Congress of Wisconsin Amateur 9-Ball Tour / Sturtavent, WI

by Jonathan Demet

Twenty-seven amateur players made their way out for the $300-added Billiard Congress of Wisconsin Amateur 9-Ball Tour January 31. This handicapped event was hosted by Boomers Billiards in Sturtavent, WI, and was won by Josh Wilms.

Patrick McGuire, recently returned from his second 15-month Army term in Iraq, played very well to make it into a final four winners’ side match with Wilms that he won hill-hill. In the bottom bracket, junior player T.J. Brucker squared off with John Ehrhart, with Brucker taking the match 7-3. McGuire won the ensuing hot seat match 7-3.

In the final six of the one-loss side, 15-year-old Tyler Styer battled new tour member Troy Hansen, who won their double-hill match. In the bottom bracket Tony Loeper bested Tim Nickle 6-2. Loeper was then ousted by Wilms 7-2 and tied for fifth place with Ehrhart, who was eliminated by Hansen 5-3.

Wilms continued his winning streak by steamrolling Hansen 7-0 in the quarterfinals, leaving Hansen in fourth place, and then besting Brucker in the semifinals 7-5. But Wilms didn’t stop there—he went on to win his final two matches against Patrick McGuire 8-4 and 7-3, taking another BCW amateur title and earning a promotion to 9-ball open player status.

This handicapped event was hosted by Boomers Billiards in Sturtavent, WI, and was won by Josh Wilms.

Results:
1st Josh Wilms $340
2nd Patrick McGuire $205
3rd T.J. Brucker $120
4th Troy Hansen $80
5th John Ehrhart $40
Tony Loeper