Ussery Outlasts Abraham for Planet Pool VictoryBy Bill Rosenberger  The Planet Pool Tour started its sixth season on January 29 at Champion Billiards Café in Laurel, MD, and finally, at 1 a.m. on Monday, January 31, they concluded their most successful tour opener ever. North Carolinian B.J. Ussery outlasted Eddie Abraham from Philadelphia to earn his first ever Planet Pool win.
The field of 121 players eclipsed their previous best of 116 in a season-opening event, and the amount of talent around the pool hall was noticeable. At one end of the room, spectators could watch Mike Davis or Keith McCready, while Ryan McCreesh or Lee Holt would be playing at the other. Forty-eight players returned for Sunday's action, including tournament director Nick Prinsloo, Pooky Rasmeloungon, and Brett Stottlemyer. As the day progressed, the number of undefeated players dwindled to just two-Ussery and Walter Koch. Ussery easily bested Koch 9-1 to win the hot seat, sending him to face Abraham in the semifinals. Other than Ussery, Abraham probably had the hottest stroke, winning 11 straight matches after his hill-hill defeat in the first round. Koch gave him a struggle, but Abraham took the victory 9-7. For Koch, it was bittersweet, because his third-place finish was his personal best on the Planet Pool Tour. The final match was reduced to a single set, with Ussery and Abraham ready to drop the hammer. The two tired competitors traded games back and forth, with Abraham earning a 6-4 lead. Ussery came back, winning three out of four racks to put the game at 7 apiece. From there, he took control and finished off Abraham for the 9-7 victory. Results: 1st B.J. Ussery $1,500 2nd Eddie Abraham $1,000 3rd Walter Koch $650 4th Lee Holt $420 5th Nick Prinsloo, Danny Green $280 7th Shawn Toni, Pooky Rasmeloungon $200 9th Don Steele, George Hammerbacher, Mike Davis, Chad Pike $140 13th Jim Henson, Ryan McCreesh, Keith McCready, Buddy Chilton $110 Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news from the Planet Pool 8- & 9-Ball Tour.
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