Archer Claims Second Straight UPA Tour Win for Home Fans

Archer Claims Second Straight UPA Tour Win for Home Fans By Paul Berg, InsidePOOL Staff WriterWith nine straight wins on the one-loss side and a thrilling final comeback victory over Jose Parica, Johnny Archer brought family, friends, and fans at The Pool Room in Marietta, GA, to their feet at the Predator Pro Open. Archer has captured his second UPA Tour win in as many weeks and displayed a complete game that was up for any obstacle.Archer was the top seed at the tournament but lost his first match to Tokyo's Go Takami. The double-hill setback sent Archer to rip through the west side of the bracket, starting Sunday by closing an 11-5 win over Nick Varner with two break-and-runs. Max Eberle was busy preventing a rematch for Takami in an 11-6 win, but in a repeat of last Sunday in Manhattan, Eberle lost to Archer in his next match to take fourth place. "Mad Max" has elevated his game recently, but Archer steamrolled him 11-2 after some early mistakes by the Hollywood, CA, pro.
Ronnie Wiseman awaited "The Scorpion" in the semifinal after a loss in the finals of the winners' bracket. While the break gave Wiseman trouble, Archer found a mid-speed cutting snap that served him well in an 11-6 win to advance to the final. Parica waited there after an 11-7 win over Wiseman.After nine wins facing elimination, Archer saw Parica take a 9-4 lead in the single race to 13 but would not be denied. He ran out from Parica's empty break and then came with a break-and-run to close the gap. After a sweet two-rail kick to pocket the 1 ball from an opening safety led to another run of nine balls, Archer again smashed and cleared with perfect positions in tight spots. Archer came with a ridiculous reverse bank on the 1 ball to start a tying run-out after an inning of defense.Drawing level at 9 games apiece did not satisfy Archer as he launched into three consecutive break-and-runs to take the hill. "Little Big Man" offered a great safety after Archer's push-out up 12-9, but after getting to the table, Parica miscued on the 3 ball while nervously eyeing the tied up 4 and 5. Archer broke them apart with ball in hand and quickly ran out to cap a marvelous tournament.Results1st - Johnny Archer ($8,000)2nd - Jose Parica ($4,000)3rd - Ronnie Wiseman ($3,000)4th - Max Eberle ($2,500)5th/6th - Go Takami/Nick Varner ($2,000 each)7th/8th - Danny Hewitt/Gabe Owen ($1,600 each)9th/12th - Tony Crosby/Young Hwa-Jeong/Rodney Morris/Jimmy Wetch ($1,000 each)13th/16th - Mike Davis/Danny Harriman/Jeremy Jones/John Schmidt ($400 each)Visit InsidePOOL for all of the latest in the sport of billiards and pool.

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