Derby City Classic 2017
2017 Derby City 9-Ball Banks
By Ricky Bryant
The 19TH Derby City Classic started on Friday January 20th with 9-Ball Banks. The major sponsors were Diamond Billiard Products, CYCLOP Pool Balls, OB Cue and Simonis Cloth. The DCC consist of three events, which were played with CYCLOP pool balls on Diamond 9 foot tables covered with Simonis cloth. The event had a field of 435 players. The event was single elimination with one buy-back option at the discretion of the player. There was a re-draw every round of the remaining players after each round.
The event spanned five days and fourteen rounds. There were seven players going into round 12, all with one loss Francisco Bustamante, Billy Thorpe, Larry Nevel, Ike Runnels, Shannon Murphy, Dennis Hatch and Warren Kiamco. . Bustamante eliminated Thorpe, Nevel eliminated Runnels and Murphy eliminated Hatch. Warren Kiamco had the bye for the round. There were four players remaining going into round 13. Bustamante eliminated Kiamco and Nevel eliminated Murphy.
This set up a final against Larry Nevel and Francisco Bustamante. Bustamante had previously won the banks in 2013. Bustamante broke the first rack and dropped one ball but missed on his opening shot. Nevel banks four balls on his turn to the table. Again Bustamante fails to make a ball. Nevel closed the first rack on his turn to the table. Rack two Nevel breaks dropping four balls but misses on his opening shot. Bustamante banks three balls before missing. Nevel makes two on his turn. Bustamante tries a full table bank but misses. Nevel misses but gets safe on Bustamante who then just plays contact. Nevel fires but misses and so does Bustamante. On Nevel’s next turn to the table he makes 2 banks to take the second rack and reach the hill. The score was Nevel 2 and Bustamante 0 in a race to 3.
Bustamante
Nevel broke the third rack and dropped two balls but missed is opening bank, as did Bustamante. Nevel fired a cross corner bank but it rattled out. Bustamante plays a contact safe. Nevel misses two-rail bank. Bustamante drops a ball in the wrong pocket. Nevel makes two banks then plays safe off the three balls previously spotted. Bustamante plays a shot to rearrange the table. Nevel banks one taking a 3 to 0 ball lead. Bustamante plays safe. Nevel banks the 6 ball but almost scratches but the cue ball holds up in the jaws of the pocket. Nevel is forced to play safe with a 4 to 0 ball lead, only needing one ball. Bustamante plays safe dropping a ball which spots. Nevel banks for the match but missed. Again Bustamante played safe and rearranged the table. Larry misses and Bustamante banks to tie up ball. Larry tries a bank but scratches, which cost him a ball, ball count not 3 to 0. Bustamante on his next turn to the table final made two banks. Nevel misses a four-rail bank. The score is now 3 to 2 and Bustamante. Nevel misses a full table bank on the 9 ball. Bustamante makes a bank to tie the ball count at 3 apiece. The game gets tight with both players moving balls and playing safe looking for an opening. Finally Bustamante makes a bank then shooting for the game scratches costing him a ball, score back to 3 all. Nevel misses but opened up the table. Again Bustamante makes a bank but hangs the next one. Nevel makes a bank to tie the ball count at four each. Each player had shots for the rack and for Nevel the match but it was Bustamante the finally got the third rack. Match score 2 to 1, Nevel.
Larry Nevel
Rack four had Bustamante breaking and he drops one ball and misses his opening bank. Larry plays safe and rearranged the table. Bustamante plays safe tying up the cue ball. Nevel tries to play out but scratches, ball count minus one. Both players miss shots Larry has another unfortunate scratch. This eventually led to Bustamante taking rack 4 and tying up the match two all.
Bustamante breaks the fifth and deciding rack but comes up dry. Nevel makes two banks and misses. Bustamante plays safe and so does Nevel on his next turn. Bustamante has a tight bank but makes it and then misses but drops a ball that spots. Nevel misses but drops a ball that spots. Bustamante makes a bank and misses. Larry misses a bank on his turn. Bustamante makes two banks to get on the hill for the game and match but misses the winning ball. Larry makes a bank but missed. Bustamante closed out the match on his turn to the table.
Congratulations to Francisco Bustamante for the second Derby City win in 9-Ball Banks.
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