Joss NE 9-Ball Finale Deliciously Good to Basavich

Joss NE 9-Ball Finale Deliciously Good to Basavich By Tori Hilty, InsidePOOL StaffThe Joss NE 9-Ball Finale was the place to be the weekend of June 5-6, 2004. Shot Spot Billiard Club in Portland, ME, hosted the final leg of the Joss Tour for this season, hosting a field of over 71 players and spectators galore. The double-elimination format quickly whittled the field of players down to the money spots. Strickland, forced by Danny "Kid Delicious" Basavich to play his way through the one-loss side, met Tom D'Alfonso in the quarters and moved on with a 9-7 decision to then defeat "Rocket" Rodney Morris 9-3 in the semis. This set Strickland up to attempt to avenge himself against Basavich.
With such great players making it to the finals, it was a show well worth waiting for. Ralph Leo, owner of a local gas station, certainly thought so as he walked in the door and was so impressed by the caliber of play in the finals that he put up an additional $2,000 to the winner. Starting the finals around 7:30 pm, these two players battled it out for nearly four hours to determine who would take home the lucrative top spot. They each were observed to be very well-behaved throughout this grueling match, a testimony to any player's professionalism. In order for Strickland to take home the championship, he would have to defeat Basavich twice in this true double-elimination event. Basavich began the two-set final match undefeated and continued to play as if he intended to stay that way. The first set was nip and tuck the whole way. Finally it was Strickland who took the win after a hill-hill match with a final decision of 9-8. Basavich did not let this shake him, and both players kept up their levels of play into the second set.The second set would see these two continuing to be neck-and-neck. It seemed what decided the final was the break: If there was a ball sunk on the break, the breaker consistently cleared the table. The match was knotted at the hill when "Kid Delicious" got his turn at the table. He edged Strickland out 9-8 to take home first place and the $7,500 tournament payout, plus the $2,000 bonus added by local businessman Ralph Leo for a total of $9,500.Results:1st Danny Basavich $7,500 2nd Earl Strickland $5,0003rd Rodney Morris $3,5004th Tom D'Alfonso $2,4005th Shaun Wilke, Earl Herring $1,6507th Dan Hewitt, Ray McNamara $1,3009th Jim Hayden, Edgar Acaba, Luc Salvas, Ted Garrahan $1,000 Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news in the sport of billiards and pool.

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