Great Southern Billiard Tour / Midlothian, VA
by Lea Andrews
When the Great Southern Billiard Tour last came through Midlothian, VA, Bobby Chamberlain took first in two sets of the finals, finishing up after sunrise, and when the tour returned to Diamond Billiards August 15-16, Chamberlain took it in two again. Chamberlain was among the field of 56 who arrived for the $1,500-added A-B amateur event.
Chamberlain, having suffered an early loss to James Lucy, was making his way through the one-loss side while the final four on the winners’ side emerged. AA-ranked David Ally shut out B-ranked Tony Williams to earn his spot in the hot seat match against B-ranked Chuck Cuneo, who’d held back AA-ranked Max Schlothauer 7-5.
On the left side of the bracket, Chamberlain made his way through Ryan Bryant 9-4 and Chris Adams 9-3 to welcome Schlothauer from the A-side, while Mitch Tranham eased past John Lee 9-3 and Reggie Jackson 9-2 to greet Williams. In the weighted format, Chamberlain moved forward 9-9, while A-ranked Tranham fell hill-hill 7-8 to Williams. Williams’ quarterfinal match against Chamberlain also went hill-hill, though he was on the wrong end of it, and Chamberlain advanced to the semifinals 9-6. Cuneo, who’d fallen 11-4 to Ally in the hot seat match, couldn’t mark up as many games against Chamberlain, landing in third 9-2.
Both men were fatigued when the finals began well after midnight, Ally having come off a long wait and Chamberlain coming off a long string of matches. The fatigue, coupled with careful play on a double-shimmed table, drew out the first set, which Chamberlain claimed 9-6. With one loss under each of their belts, the win would go to whoever took the second set, but Chamberlain wouldn’t let Ally come close to his goal of 11 games. Up 8-4, Chamberlain broke the rack wide open, spreading the balls perfectly for a run-out. Seeing Chamberlain’s perfect position on the 9 after pocketing the 8 in the side, Ally conceded, but Chamberlain’s victory was bittersweet. Amidst a round of applause, Chamberlain dedicated his win to his mother-in-law, Betty, who’d died just a few days before.
When the Great Southern Billiard Tour last came through Midlothian, VA, Bobby Chamberlain took first in two sets of the finals, finishing up after sunrise, and when the tour returned to Diamond Billiards August 15-16, Chamberlain took it in two again.
Results:
1st Bobby Chamberlain $1,000
2nd David Ally $500
3rd Chuck Cuneo $250
4th Tony Williams $150
5th Mitch Tranham $100
Max Schlothauer
7th Reggie Jackson $75
Chris Adams
9th Anthony D’Amico $50
John Lee
Jimmy Tyson
Ryan Bryant