Testa Earns First Blaze Win

Testa Earns First Blaze WinBlaze 9-Ball Tour / Egg Harbor, NJ
by Jose Burgos
The first stop of the Blaze 9 Ball Tour’s season brought 34 players out to Atlantic City Billiard Club in Egg Harbor, NJ. Mike Davis, Joey Testa, Shaun Wilkie, Oscar Bonilla, Lee Holt, and Matt Krah were among those who came out, but Testa walked away with the grand prize.

Slivka Steals Blaze Championship

Slivka Steals Blaze Championship Blaze 9-Ball Tour / Egg Harbor, NJ

by Jose Burgos
The Blaze 9-Ball Tour capped its season with a championship event that was held at Atlantic City Billiards Club in Egg Harbor, NJ, the weekend of January 20-21. A strong field of players came out to play, including Mike Davis, Matt Krah, Allen Hopkins, Jerry Slivka, Danny Basavich, and Ryan McCreesh, attracted by the over-$18,000 paid out in cash and prizes.

Manalo Claims his First Blaze Title at Castle Billiards

Manalo Claims his First Blaze Title at Castle BilliardsBlaze 9-Ball Tour /Billiards News/ East Rutherford, NJby Rick Davis/Inside POOL Magazine Marvelous Marlon Manalo, the runner-up to the IPT’s multi-million-dollar North American Open 8-Ball Championship in July, came back from a quarterfinal loss to win the Blaze 9-Ball Tour’s nineteenth stop. Held at Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ, the two-day, double-points stop pulled in 42 entries for the August 12-13 weekend.Manalo faced off against fellow IPT pro and Blaze Tour points leader Mike Davis in a grueling match that Davis ultimately won double-hill. The other half of the winners’ side showed less eye candy for the crowd, even though Teddy Garrahan defeated Joey Kong by a solid 9-4 margin. Garrahan then faced Davis in the hot seat match, and before long Davis showed why he leads the tour, as he completely dominated the match with a 9-1 score.

Davis Continues to Blaze

Davis Continues to Blazeby Rick DavisThe heat was on in Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ, for the Blaze 9-Ball Tour’s July 15-16 stop. Mike Davis kept control to win the top spot in the sixteenth of the thirty-stop mega-tour that always draws in the Northeast’s top players.With the event on track for a long night, the remaining few battled to advance. Scott Freeman blasted past a consistent top finisher on tour, Shaun Wilkie, 7-1, while Matt Krah, number two on the points list, was nearly as efficient against Mike Fingers, defeating him 7-3. Freeman met with Krah but was no match for the tour patron, who served up a shut-out 7-0. While that match took place, the hot seat showcased Davis and Paul Robinson, with Davis keeping a firm grip on the match until he defeated Robinson 7-4, sending him to face Krah.

Davis Stays Alive to Win the Blaze 9-Ball Tour

Davis Stays Alive to Win the Blaze 9-Ball Tourby Rick DavisStop 15 of the Blaze 9-Ball Tour came to Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill, PA, July 9, hosting a field of 41 top Northeastern players. IPT pro Mike Davis and frequent winner on the tour returned from the one-loss side to nearly shut out his opponent in the finals.Another tour frequenter, Matt Krah beat a path through the winners’ side, besting Jerry Slivka 7-3 in the hot seat match. On the one-loss side, Billy Kirshner breezed past Brent Shreiner 7-0, while Davis defeated Shawn Wilkie 7-4. Davis met Kirshner in the next round and took another match 7-4 in order to face Slivka for the right to see the finals.