Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: SPORTS

Media Credit: Roberto Rodriguez University of Texas junior Jason Keller takes a shot during a game at the UNT Billiards Club 8 Ball Tournament held at the Syndicate November 8, 2008.

Members of the NT Billiards Club battled other universities and boredom Saturday as they competed for 16 hours at NT's annual 8-ball tournament hosted in the University Union Syndicate.

Members of the NT Billiards Club placed in the top three in two divisions.

Junior Justin Cromer placed second in the advanced players' A division, and had to stay the entire span of the tournament, which lasted from 8 a.m. until midnight.

"Watching the match for first and second place in the A division is what everyone wants to see, and that is the last game to be played," junior club president Morgan Fassett said.

Senior Andrew Walters grabbed third place in the A division and also watched the entire competition, he said. Senior Manami Hayashi came in second place in the beginning players' C division.

"I play in the C division, too, so I'm glad that we had a UNT player place," sophomore and club vice president Courtney Tidwell said. "Plus she's a chick. It just makes it that much cooler."

A total of 47 participants registered for the tournament from Sam Houston State University, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University.

Because of the large number of competitors and the limited number of tables, some NT members had an hour or two of downtime between rounds, Fassett said.

"Within that break, people sit, relax, go get food or do whatever it takes to keep them focused," he said. "It's a lot of pressure, but our players handle it very well."

The Billiards Club's next competition is UTA's 9-ball tournament Saturday at the Bowling and Billiards Center on the UTA campus.

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