Classic Match-up Set for Derby City Classic One-Pocket Finals

Classic Match-up Set for Derby City Classic One-Pocket FinalsJoyner stands against unbeaten Reyes in a billliards battle of past Derby one-hole winnersThere is no question in anyone’s mind in Louisville about who is the uncontested greatest one-pocket player the world over. No one seems to be able to beat him with less than a three ball spot, and Cliff Joyner knows the feeling of losing to Efren “Bata” Reyes in the Billiard Club Network pit at the Derby City Classic with a handicap for prestige and payday. Two years ago, early in the goings, the two staged a match for a large crowd under the sweltering BCn lights, and Reyes barely broke a sweat.Derby City Classic image galleryDiscuss the Derby City Classic
There is no spot for Joyner this time. The 2002 DCC One-Pocket champion keeps his game sharp in the Atlanta area and is generally thought to be the best non-Filipino practitioner of the art of the gutsy run-out, a master of the patient stratagem, and a man who has the intensity to make that last sliver of daylight between the cue ball and the rail disappear as he stares at his opponent over a shot that will surely sell out. Following today’s events, Joyner will need some powers against “The Magician.” It will take back-to-back wins in races to three against Reyes to prevent a third straight one-pocket crown for Efren.Six players remained to start the day, all having played well past midnight to finish Day Six. For his part on Day Seven, Reyes has simply taken Francisco “Django” Bustamante out of the tournament. In a draw rather unkind to the Philippines, in back-to-back rounds the two champions met each other. In the first outing, Reyes soundly thumped Bustamante 3-1, but the second was even colder. Bustamante scratched on his first shot after his own break to leave Reyes an eight-and-out run in the first game and coughed up opportunities in the second rack to give Efren an 8-0 win and the hill. Bata bobbled a couple of chances to finish the next 8-0 and score a 24 to -1 for the set cumulatively, and Django strung together a nice run to make the score 7-5 before leaving Reyes a tough bank. The Magician promptly dropped it to finish the set 3-0 and eliminate Bustamante.Joyner ousted reigning all-around champ Jason Miller in his first outing of the day and came up against the strangely unknown Mike Surber. The Ocean Spring, MS, craps dealer is well known to anyone who seeks out the small one-pocket tournament circuit, with high finishes in events such as the Carolinas Open and the Gulf Coast Classic Legends of One-Pocket Event. He toppled Mike Davis to reach Joyner and pushed him to the limit in an impressive hill-hill battle. Neither man won a game on their own break until the final rack, where Joyner slowly built a 4-0 lead in a tense atmosphere. The momentous nature of a victory seemed to be on both combatants’ minds, as they amassed more mistakes in the early part of this game than the rest of the set combined.Surber climbed back to 5-4 deficit, but the free bank that helped him get within a ball seemed to make Surber a little less patient. His strengths lie in controlling table position and exceptional control of the movement of the cue ball, and shooting too aggressively cost him a scratch. Joyner handled the three balls to book his ticket to the magic show, hoping to pop out of the hat with a second DCC one-pocket crown.In other events around the Derby, last night a well-attended race to 10 between Reyes and Corey Deuel extended the one-pocket into the sunrise. Reyes and his backers came off of 10-7, a spot that Deuel’s aggressive style got the better of. Kicking into the stack to stick as well as kicking to pocket balls offensively and defensively, Deuel stepped up his rail first game and made few errors in his defensive assessment. Reyes made a remarkable ten and out in the second game, but by the end of Deuel’s eventual 10-6 victory, Reyes seemed a beaten man, a very rare sight indeed. While Joyner is hoping to see it again at 9 p.m. sharp, live on the BCn tonight, a rested and smiling Reyes will be there to assure him this will be the fight of his storied career at the Derby.{xevidwidebot}pool-videos-billiards-videos/cliff-joyner-wins.flv|false|450|350|Cliff Joyner Gets to the finals|0|0xdcdcdc{/xevidwidebot}Watch LIVE video coverage at BCnThe DCC 9-ball division has progressed into the third round, and many brutal pairing of high level players have been sprinting through the races to 7 as the DCC stays on schedule. A further accounting of other after-hours action at the Derby is forthcoming, including the further antics of “Scooter,” a battle for Ronnie “Everything’s Funny When You’re Winning Big Money” Wiseman against a tough Texan, the one and only Jet from Chicago taking up residence in the Sirloin and Saddle parlor, and the further woes of a resilient Darren Appleton. Stay tuned to InsidePOOLmag.com as we make the turn into our last weekend in Louisville for the DCC.As a special note, happy belated birthday yesterday to both Chris “Dante” Bartram and Mikee “I Rule You” Basha, both of whom have been a big help to the thinly-stretched staff. – Ed. Plague

Pool Balls and Billiard Balls at LOW PRICES!!!

About the Author:
Inside Pool Magazine publishes billiard news. Definitive Synergy creates pool and billiard management software.