Emerald Billiards Sports Bar and Grill
2511 West Old Spanish Trail
New Iberia
Louisiana 70560
USA
www.emeraldbilliards.com
www.dragonpromotions.com
www.poolactiontv.com
View the final 10 ball brackets here - small 20kB pdf file
16-20 October 2012
Shane building a huge lead in the #1 spot for the ABP Pro Rankings
Shane made it to the finals unscathed with a bye as the #1 ABP seed, and then wins over Gary Abood, Rodney Morris 9-3, Mike Davis 9-7, Robb Saez 9-5.
Archer got a bye as the #4 seed and won over Daulton Riley 9-3, lost to Engel 9-5, and bounced back with wins over Warren Kiamco 9-8, Brandon Shuff 9-3, Mike Davis 9-7, Rodney Morris 9-3, and Robb Saez 9-6.
The finals between Van Boening and Archer started off lopsided with Shane breaking and running the first 4 racks. He went up 5-0 before Archer could mark a game up. But Van Boening's break seemed unstoppable and he climbed to a 9-2 lead within 45 minutes. It looked like it would be a very short night. But here comes Johnny!
Archer came back and rattled off 4 games in a row before Shane could stop the bleeding. One game included a length of the table thin cutshot on the 2ball that was do or die for Archer. Frozen off the backrail, Archer fired in at warp speed the slice and the ball trickled down perfectly in and he followed with a run. At 10-6, the match was still heavily favoring Shane, but a lot closer making every shot more meaningful. Archer knowing this, failed to make any errors and was playing pinpoint position and surefire accuracy on his offense. He climbed to 10-8 to the thrill of the audience.
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Game 19 was an incredible game of cat and mouse. Shane's one pocket experience helping him with kicks and maneuvering, while Archer's will power and stubbornness to never give up matching Shane's every move. Eventually Archer got a look at a shot and came with a tough 1ball, tricky 2ball, long off angle 4ball, backwards cut on 5 ball where he also broke out a troublesome 9ball that was frozen, and then fired in a off angle 7ball and forced followed the cueball up table for perfect position on the 8ball. Climbing to a 10-9 score.
Francisco Bustamante was commentating the match (his first USA commentary ever) with Ray Hansen on live stream, and even he was awed with Archer's persistence. "Wow" he kept commenting. "If Johnny keeps playing like this he can comeback and win the finals!" said the Filipino World Champion.
Archer was rewarded with a perfect break the next rack as he smashed the rack with power but controlled the cueball perfectly. With an open shot on the 1ball, he ran out to tie it at 10-10! One game for the championship!
"Well, it doesn't get any better than this. Keith Hulin, you are getting your money's worth pal!", said event producer Charlie Williams to the audience directing his words to the Emerald Billiards owner.
The final game saw Archer break, making a ball, but was forced to play safety. Another safety battle ensued, and again Archer was able to get a look at the 1ball. Faced with a long off angle one ball, and having to force the cueball around 3 rails or play safe, Archer opted for offense. He fired the ball and the cueball went 3 rails. Except the 1ball did not go in. Archer's first miss in 10 games and Shane's first opportunity in an hour. Shane was left with a short masse on the 1ball which he studied and made. And then had to force the 2ball in with follow with the cueball off the siderail a hair. Though pressure packed, Shane smoothly ran the table perfectly for the win.
"I was playing really good and just felt I had to take the tough 1ball. I hadn't missed yet so I liked my odds. But Shane played great and deserved it" said Archer.
"I just tried to play good in the finals. I was up alot, and didn't want to let Johnny get a shot, but I missed the 2ball and he came back. But thanks to all the fans and Keith for bringing us here and look forward to coming back", said Van Boening.
"We are going to do this again next year and make it bigger and better!" said Keith Hulin. Keith and his lovely wife Lisa are credited for bringing professional pool to Louisiana the past 3 years.
Van Boening will retain his #1 ranking in the ABP Pro Tour and Archer will climb for sure. Updated ABP Pro rankings will be up by Monday.
President of the ABP Johnny Archer and VP Rodney Morris, old foes... And teammates!
New Iberia, Louisiana- It was a classic match up of the two most experienced veterans on tour. Archer vs Morris in the quarter finals with four players left. Johnny eliminated Mike Davis while Rocket destroyed Engel. The Championship Cloth 5th Annual Pro Classic events are a pro 9-Ball and 10-Ball event during October 16th-20th, 2012. The events take place side by side to the Ozone Billiards US Amateur Open all hosted by Emerald Billiards and produced by Dragon Promotions. The event is co-sponsored by Predator Cues, Poison Cues, Aramith Balls, Pool & Billiard Magazine and sanctioned as an ABP International Rankings Points Tournament.
Unfortunately, the buildup of the match was more than the actual match. Johnny took control early in the match and never vanquished the lead. He took down his ABP Vice-President 9-2. The same score Morris took out Jesse Engel while Archer barely survived his 9-7 with Davis.
"Johnny just didn't give Rodney a chance. He just did what Rodney did to Engel the match before", commented John Leyman, the tournament director.
"Johnny is just super tough to beat at the end of the tournament", said Charlie Williams, the event producer.
On the other side, Van Boening and Saez were practicing rigorsously before th hot seat match. While Saez has been playing superbly and consistently with a runner-up already in the 9-Ball division, he wasn't able to handle Shane's game as he won fairly easily 9-5 to reach the finals.
The Asian contingent was strong, but not invincible at Emerald Billiards
New Iberia, Louisiana- World Champion Francisco Bustamante, Double World Champ Ronnie Alcano, recent Johnny Archer Classic Champion Warren Kiamco, Qatar National Team Coach Israel Rota. All out. With the inclusion of Wang Can, all the Asians are out of the tournament. The Championship Cloth 5th Annual Pro Classic events are a pro 9-Ball and 10-Ball event during October 16th-20th, 2012. The events take place side by side to the Ozone Billiards US Amateur Open all hosted by Emerald Billiards and produced by Dragon Promotions. The event is co-sponsored by Predator Cues, Poison Cues, Aramith Balls, Pool & Billiard Magazine and sanctioned as an ABP International Rankings Points Tournament.
Ronnie Alcano crushed Charlie Williams 9-1 in the first round, but was then stopped by Rodney Morris. He was later eliminated by his own countrymen Kiamco 9-7. Kiamco took losses to Wang Can and then eliminated hill hill by Archer. Rota had a bad day as he went 2 and out to Adam Smith and Ronnie Alcano.
Francisco Bustamante took a hard lost to Mike Davis after being up 8-5, and lost 4 from there. "I couldn't make a ball on the break!" he said afterwards.
Bustamante was able to stave off Williams 9-3, but then fell to Rodney Morris 9-5.
The Filipinos did make their mark,however. Alcano snapped off the 9-Ball division the night before.
20 year old Jesse Engel is getting seasoned with every pro event
New Iberia, Louisiana- 18 year old "Little Wonder" Wang Can of China was stopped from cashing in his 3rd consecutive appearance at USA's ABP Pro Tour events. Charlie "Korean Dragon" Williams eliminated the youngster from his own event today. The Championship Cloth 5th Annual Pro Classic events are a pro 9-Ball and 10-Ball event during October 16th-20th, 2012. The events take place side by side to the Ozone Billiards US Amateur Open all hosted by Emerald Billiards and produced by Dragon Promotions. The event is co-sponsored by Predator Cues, Poison Cues, Aramith Balls, Pool & Billiard Magazine and sanctioned as an ABP International Rankings Points Tournament.
Wang Can had taken down so many top names in the span of the last 9 days that it seemed to become routine to get beat by the tiny terror. Jesse Engel, Warren Kiamco (twice), Johnny Archer, Thorsten Hohmann, and others to name a few.
But Williams was on his A game this event already taken down his share of tough marquee names such as Hohmann, Bustamante, Bryant, Adam Smith. In this match for the money, Williams jumped to a 6-0 lead without any errors. In game 7, Williams pushed to a long, tough 1 ball. To his credit, Wang came with the shot and ran out along with 2 more beads on the score. But Williams ended with the win at 9-3.
Up and coming 20 year old Jesse Engle continues on his path of improvement. He defeated fellow youngster Hunter Lombardo in the 9-ball and 10-ball pro events, and then took off Thorsten Hohmann. Tonight he followed up with a huge win over Johnny Archer in a lopsided 9-5 match. This puts him into the final 6 of the tournament.
"This will be my highest finish in a points ranking event. Before it was 9th. I'm hitting most of my objectives this year which is good. I'm definitely learning more and being on the pro tour toughens you up mentally", said Engel. When asked who was his inspirations on tour he answered, "Well, Shane of course because he wins so many tournaments. But I really love Alex Pagulayan's style as a competitor. He just seems to have the right balance of fun and seriousness."
Engel, Wang Can, and Williams will all move up several spots on the ABP International Rankings.
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