05

Aug

Allison Fisher Claims Another Title

Posted by admin as Billiard Tour News - WPBA Tour

Allison Fisher Claims Another Title

Making this her second consecutive win this season and her fiftieth Classic Tour victory, Allison Fisher eked out a double-hill win over Kelly Fisher in the finals of the Cuetec Cues U.S. Open 9-ball tournament. The event, which started Thursday, August 2, brought out a full 64-player field to Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI.
Kim Shaw experienced some bad rolls and worse luck in her semifinal match against Kelly Fisher. Empty breaks and scratches seemed to plague her throughout, while Fisher was able to sail to the hill 6-2. Since the alternating-break format was in use, it was Shaw’s turn to break. She pocketed the 1, 2, and 3 balls but scratched into the corner. Unable to believe her luck, Fisher cleared the remaining six balls to advance to the final match.
In the second of both lopsided semifinal matches, Allison Fisher met the aggressive Ga-Young Kim. Fisher took an early lead, taking advantage of a scratch by Kim and a neat run-out of her own. Some excellent defensive play added two more racks to Fisher’s score, making it now 6-2 in her favor. A hung 1 ball in the following game narrowed the gap slightly to 6-3, but in the last rack, Fisher countered a safety by pocketing the 1 and getting into position to run out, which she did to win 7-3.
A long and tension-fraught finale unfolded as the players tried every trick they knew to trip the other up. In the 13-rack match, there was only one break and run-out, and that was by K. Fisher in the fourth game. And two games was the biggest lead anyone had throughout, when A. Fisher reached 5-3.
View the WPBA US Open tournament brackets (/wpba-us-open-brackets.html)
K. Fisher tied the match at 5 apiece when A. Fisher came up empty on her break and then scratched off the 4 ball in the following rack. Reaching the hill after a hung-up 2 by A. Fisher, K. Fisher was so close she could taste the victory. Especially when she broke and ran out the next rack—almost. But coming off the 8 ball, the cue ball kissed off the 9 and scratched. An unsuccessful safety by K. Fisher in the final game handed the table to A. Fisher, who hooked herself on the 4 ball but kicked it in anyway. A tough leave on the 6 gave her pause, but only for a moment, and then A. Fisher dished up for the 7-6 win.
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05

Aug

Gregg Hovey Joins Billiards International

Posted by admin as Billiards Industry News - Information

Gregg Hovey Joins Billiards International

Billiards International, Ltd. has announced that Gregg Hovey has joined the company in the capacity of senior partner. Hovey will oversee various corporate functions, including sponsorship within and outside the billiards industry, liaison with billiards organizations, host site relations, and development of mainstream media promotion. His principle responsibility will center on future growth of the company.

Hovey was formerly the president and CEO of Olhausen Billiards, and served as president of the BCA. I am absolutely delighted with the venture, he said. Billiards International is the major producer of special events for ESPN, and has set the standard for quality television over the last eighteen years. I’m eager to be a part of taking the company to the next plateau.

We are very excited, said Matt Bettiane Braun, of Billiards International. Gregg is committed to excellence in every endeavor, and his reputation for leadership will be a vital factor in our future growth. Time and again he has demonstrated a unique ability for innovation and business foresight. We have every confidence that Gregg will play a key role in the expansion and development of Billiards International.