Jeremy Jones and Xiaoting Pan … were recently crowned champs of the 2008 GenerationPool.com 9-Ball Championships. The event, hosted by the Billiard Congress of America (BCA), was held in conjunction with the 2008 International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo at the Charlotte Convention Center, June 8-12, 2008.

In the first final match, both of which were taped by ESPN, Jones met Ronnie Wiseman to vie for the title. In the error-ridden set, it seemed that both parties’ nerves were getting the better of them. The score seesawed to 3 apiece — none of which was a run-out. After a miss each on the 8-ball in the following rack, Wiseman made the 8, but then scratched, moving Jones up a game. He also took the next rack when Wiseman missed a straight-in 9-ball. After pushing out after his next break, Jones capitalized on a failed safety attempt by Wiseman and ran out to reach the hill 6-3. Wiseman broke next and missed the 2, but so did Jones, so Wiseman narrowed the gap to two racks; however, Jones broke and ran out the final rack to win 7-4.

The women’s final was actually a rematch of the fourth round, in which Ga Young Kim sent Pan to the one-loss side 9-6. The women seemed a little more settled than the men did, but still they started off somewhat shakily. Kim reached a 3-1 advantage with a strong break and run-out, but Pan tied it up when Kim scratched on the 8-ball in the next rack and then won the following after Kim left her a shot on the 2-ball. Now in her element, Pan broke and ran out for the 4-3 lead. When Kim’s 7-ball ejected out of the pocket, Pan moved another step closer in the short race to 7. Kim pushed out on her next break, and Pan missed the 1-ball. Kim started to clear the table, but she didn’t leave herself a good shot on the 8-ball and tried to play safe. However, Pan had a shot and took it to reach the hill. In the final rack, Pan pocketed three balls on the break and cleared for her 7-4 win.

Source: InsidePool Magazine

Revisit the entire event with online brackets for both the men's division and the women's division (provided courtesy of AZBilliards). The events will debut on ESPN on July 19, 2008, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. ESPN has dedicated an entire afternoon to the tournament.

2008 GenerationPool.com 9-Ball Championships ESPN Schedule:

Following its general membership meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 11, 2008 … the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) announced the results of the 2008-2009 Board of Directors elections.

In follow-up elections, Sean Cummings (Brunswick Billiards) accepted a one-year term as BCA Board president, as did each of the remaining seated officers: First Vice President Ivan Lee (Iwan Simonis); Second Vice President Kathy Vegh (Danny Vegh’s Billiards & Home); Secretary Renee Poehlman (American Poolplayers Association); and Treasurer Bob Radford (Antique Billiard Supply).

“With a 60-year legacy of promoting and enhancing the game, it is an honor to be selected president of the Billiard Congress of America,” said Sean Cummings. “I look forward to working with the outstanding Board of Directors, comprised of leaders in all facets of the industry, to continue to make the BCA a relevant, forward-thinking organization for all companies involved in billiards.”

The remaining directors include: Nick Alexander (Clicks Billiards); Mike Baggett (Cue & Case Sales); Karim Belhaj (Predator Products); George Darafeev (Mikhail Darafeev, Inc.); Kathy Etheridge (Showcase Billiards); Barry Hart (Viking Cue Mfg., Inc.); John Petti (Atlas Billiard Supplies); Anthony L. Stick (The Billiard Factory); and Eric Weber (CueStix International, Inc.).