Lee Vann Corteza vs Justin Hall - 9 Ball - 2024 Derby City Classic rd 5

Hi Railbirds and welcome once again to the 2024 Derby City Classic. Lots more action coming to you from the nine ball division and our next match is between Filipino Levan Corteza and American Justin Hall. Justin has one loss so he's got his buyback already. Levan Corteza is still on zero losses. I'm Mark White, lovely to have you with us once again and it was actually another Filipino that sent Justin Hall to the one lost side. It was Roberto Gomez. So we have a race to nine winner options break. Breaking from the Derby City break box which is between the first and the third diamonds. There's three foul rule we are using that. There's no jump cues allowed but you are allowed to jump with your playing cue. Just going back to the rack very very quickly. The two ball mustn't be racked at the back. It can go anywhere else but not at the back. So a little bit of a hurried break there by the looks of it from Justin Hall and it's dry. Well what a nice opening this is. This is just what you want coming to the table. Look at that one two three four five six seven. All readily available. This is a great chance to take the opening rack and he's got nicely the correct side of this two ball to attack the three after it. Lee Van Cortez just won the Las Vegas Open against his very good friend Carlo Biardo. Interesting fact about Lee Van Cortez. His mum and dad were cowboy movie fans and they actually named him after the actor Lee Van Cort, Lee Van Cleef. What about that for a story? Very natural player and in my eyes very underestimated. Not by the players they all know him very well of course. Super talented guy. Just stop the cue ball there. Just finished straight on the seven. We can just hold the cue ball here nicely for the nine. Justin said I've seen enough. Don't prolong the agony anymore. One zero. This video is brought to you in corporation with Hustling USA. JB Casey's, Mr John Barton. Hello John and Jerry Olivier Custom Cues. The Great Lipman Lights. There's about 30 of them here and the Locked and Loaded Custom Billet Apparel Company. Thank you so much guys. I was going to mention Bad Boys as well. Bringing this video to you. Thank you very much guys. Our partners in crime and apologies. Although Lipman Lights are one of our sponsors. The light being provided by Diamond Billiard Lighting. Thanks guys. So makes the one which is the target ball and he's got a nice look at the two here. Now could we possibly see a quick rack here a 3-9 combo. Probably play just to run the table. They're all nicely in the open so no heroics. Maybe slightly the wrong side of this three ball. Would like to have stunned over maybe. So you can just draw it back slightly. Still as good. Looking very comfortable early on isn't it. Has a very kind of nonchalant rhythm around the table. Would have liked just a few more inches on the cue ball there. A little bit short. No dramas though. And now can drift over and play this seven ball short side to the top right. Oh he's over hit this by quite some distance. The cross side bank. Oh what a great shot that is. Just gets down and knocks it in. Oh and Justin Hull once again has said that's enough. I don't get that. I just really don't get it. Why not put a bit of pressure on your opponents. Let them run the rack. Sometimes you can be a little bit in awe of players. Okay he's probably going to make it but let him make them. And won't be complaining. Marks another bead on the scoring system. Ken Schumann doing his thing in the match table next to us. And a scratch from Levan Cortes up. So a chance to get his hand on the table. Justin predominantly a one pocket and bank ball player. A little bit short on that cue ball there. There's the result. Straight away in trouble off a ball in hand. But I think he might be okay. He's just come far enough. returns the compliment and says that's okay Justin. 2-1 it is. Our main event sponsors Diamond Billiard Products now. Not just the lights of course. They've given us over 30 tables also. Simonas Cloth. Thank you guys. Aramith Billiard Balls. Ounceville Rack to keep them nice and tight. Acustats Video Productions. Thank you so much to you guys as well. And Masters Chalk. And look at this. It's a lucky break and look how much and how quick. Yeah he's just checking. Does the nine ball count off the break? It certainly does and within seconds hit 2-2. Let's have another look at that. What happened here? Trying to make the one in the side. Well he hit them full on. It got a full on kick and then look at that eight ball. Cutting it into the top corner. So scratch on the break from Levan Cortes up. Let Justin in with ball in hand. Ran the rack. He's having another go at it look. Don't see many people breaking like that do you? Full on. But it's effective. So far he's had one dry break. One golden break. And that one just there made a ball. Perfect on the one. A little bit short on pace. He still can draw off the side rail back out to the center of the table for three. Very fluent player isn't he? Doesn't hang around. Levan Cortes at one of the 800 club. One of 32 players over 800 Fargo. Justin back on 7-5-2. Oh he was a little bit short of pace on the four ball in his first rack. He was okay that time. Nice bit of left hand spin on that cue ball. Teasing the cue ball closer to the eight. And this is very good stuff. Oh the only nine ball we've seen potted so far is the one on the golden break. Both players in very generous mood. Reigning champion of this event Fedor Gorst. Fedor Gorst has done really well in this tournament hasn't he over the years. Master of the table. He's won. I'm not sure he's won the nine ball before he won it last year. Once again Justin is off. Now does he go just past the eight ball or can he hold it this side of the eight with a draw. Just going past gonna have to get rid of that at cue rack though. So this is the key shot in the rack. Can he go between the gap the six and the nine? He can. Played it really well. There's no kioi look on the right top right of your screens. The Japanese joker and this is a really good reply from Justin Hall. Just everything coming so naturally. Well we're gonna see our first nine ball. There it is. Now leads 4-2. Levan Cortez was flying at 2-0. Then the scratch on the break left Justin in. He hasn't made a mistake since. Good stuff from the American. Percentage going up all the time but he's now 44 percent chance of winning. Let's see if he sticks with this break this full on. He's gone slightly to the he's moved it just a little bit. He's not cutting it at all is he? He's going full on to the one ball and you are kind of relying on lucky balls breaking that way. And the luck has run out. Chance for Levan to get back into this match. Oh he's messed up the five I think and he's got some work to do to get from the two to the three as well. Can play with low left. Could decide where he's going high. High inside. Now he's got good angle here. I wonder will he try and go into the five? Will he risk it? He did. He's played it 45 years old Levan. He's looking very sprightly. All those Filipinos they all look young don't they? Nicknamed the Slayer. Hasn't really had too much success on the big stage. He is a world cup of pool champion in 2013. The doubles. Also 2017 US Open straight pool champion. He's won a few golds though in the Southeast Asian Games. Three in total. One in the two. Well he's got the full house. He's got one in the singles. He's got a gold in the team and he's got gold in the well. And actually has four brothers as well. He can make a team on his own couldn't he? He can make a Moscomi Cup team or an Efren Reyes Cup team. So dry from Levan. Justin once again straight back into the mix. Still leads 4-3. A little bit short on that one. Oh he was okay. Good recovery once again. Was that Jeffrey De Luna the Bull making that noise? Maybe just a little bit quick on the stroke there. There is Roberto Gomez on the next table. Mentioned him earlier. On the table to the left. There he is look. Superman. Oh that's a beautiful shot. Really is. A little bit awkward cueing here though. Might have to take the bridge. Just because he might be leaning. No he's okay. Just a little stun out. Didn't quite get out far enough. May have to play the nine into the side now. No problem. Once again Justin says that's enough. And we level at 4-4. He's got a really nice pace isn't it this match? Neither player hanging around. Really is a fabulous game to watch when two players are in full flow. These two certainly don't need a shot clock. Sometimes I feel Paul is maybe a little bit hard to watch without a shot clock. Some players not as quick as others. It's a conversation I have many times with different people. Just feel the shot clock is so important. Even if it's 45 seconds not necessarily 30. Just to keep the game moving and it does kind of stop players second guessing themselves too much as well. Ivan just using up a bit of time because his friend is on the next table. Just draw off of this three ball between the four and the rail. Now some high left on the cue ball. 10 o'clock on the cue ball. Just widening the angle of the rail. So important to keep leaving yourself an angle on the ball. It's kind of a Filipino style just letting the cue ball go where it wants to go. Drag off the side rail. Widening the angle again bringing himself in on the line for the seven. Looks so easy doesn't it? I think Justin maybe have somewhere somewhere to go. Perhaps he's got a lunch date. It's 5-4. We've had nine racks. Very very quick succession. You've still only seen one nine ball made in play apart from the golden break of course. Study this break a little bit of Lee Vance who replaces the cue ball. The box is between the first and the third diamonds. Going more or less central. It's more like the matrim break box that one and this is a matrim ranking event. Even though the matrim break box is not being used I'm not sure he has the potting angle. Maybe able to bank it. Looking very colorful isn't he? Roberto Gomez on the other table. Orange shirt, orange trainers, sneakers I think you call them. Lee Vance deciding on the safety. He hasn't got it. It's left a little bit of a teaser for Justin. Cue ball will be going close to that corner pocket though. Could over cut it and bring the cue ball back down the table. Looks like he's digging down is he? He dug down to avoid the scratch. It's a bit of a messy shot though wasn't it? A little bit stabby, a little bit quick. This is another thin one. Now does he have the angle to go into the 6-7 here? Take a risk. He played that with a lot of inside English and over cut it by quite some distance. Very fortunate to get away with this. Well that's not what he wanted. Sounds like Ed Liddowi over on the TV table having some fun and games. Keep the noise down Ed. He's winding the audience up into a frenzy isn't he? Over behind the 9 maybe. Wow that's a huge roll for Lee Van Cortez. Justin must have been thinking to himself I'm in here. That's a really well controlled shot though. Took all the pace out of the cue ball with the drag shot. We all know what these Filipinos are like. It's almost like a challenge that they relish. He's looking at two rails. Awkward cueing though. Now he's playing one rail here. Lots of spin. Great shot. Unfortunately no luck this time. I can't quite see if the 6 passes the 7. draw. He's going to have to use a rail here maybe. Oh no he's just drawing back for the top right. Keeping it simple once again. Justin not giving him this one. Oh Lee Van won the first two. Justin won the next four. And now Lee Van has won two in a row again. 6-4 in this race to nine. Matrim ranking points event. Race to nine. Alternate sorry not alternate break. It's winner option break isn't it. What's your thoughts on winner breaks and alternate break? I'm an alternate break man myself. I feel break shot is so important that each player should have equal opportunity to break. Be pleased with that one. Two balls down. A nice look at the one ball. Everything in the open. Could be 7-4 very very quickly. A little bit of a heart fluttering moment as the cue ball travel closer and closer to the two ball. You can just draw over for the three into the bottom left. There's the accurate rack from Outsville. If Paul does pass the eight with ease. I was going to say is he going to make him pop these or is he just going to give them to him? We've been playing six or seven ball up till now. Hopefully you're enjoying all this Paul guys that we're bringing to you from Railbirds TV. I need to go and look at if you give us a like. Only if you like it of course. We'd love you to subscribe on that red button there and then hit the little bell as well and every time we go live you'll be the first to know. Now decent break again. No look at the two ball though so he's gonna have to push out. See our first push of the match or are we? Is he looking at kicking maybe? No he's looking at where can he leave the cue ball. So for those of you new to nine ball maybe don't know what a push out is. After the break player can push the cue ball to anywhere he likes. Can hit any ball. Can make any ball. Doesn't have to hit a rail. So there Levan has left him a thin edge of the two. Try and attempt Justin in to play it but if Justin doesn't like it he can give it back to Levan. Just a little bit of surgery going on. Well done Levan. Left him rather a lot of the two ball actually. That hasn't played a great shot there. So Levan can use the seven as a stop up for the two ball. Bring the cue ball. Two rails. Some right hand spin. I didn't want to catch that. Wanted to slip past the nine ball and now a similar shot for Justin. Can just flick off the right side of this two ball. Cue ball back down to a similar position. Try and get behind the two four. The nine four rather. Cat and mouse here now. Once again a thin edge. Oh that is a thin edge. Cue ball heading the way of the pocket but no not enough pace in it. So we're back to square one. Two ball into the seven. Cue ball back down the table again. See if he can get on. He's gone the other way. Wasn't sure about that one but he's played it pretty well hasn't he. More than one way to skin a cat as they say. Pretty wild shot there from Justin Hall. Not sure what he was trying to do there. Could sneak this into the side pocket. Cue ball heading. Back up towards the three. Changed his mind. This two ball really is causing both players some problems isn't it. It's been on the table for a few minutes now. Several shots have been attempted but it's still there. A similar position as to what we were in about eight shots ago. Two ball into the seven. Cue ball back down the table. Be behind the five. I'm not sure if he's taken. I think he's taken a break hasn't he. Either that or he's studying this for a long time. So perhaps he's gone for a break. We'll do the same. We'll be back with more on this two ball very very soon. Here comes Justin. There he is look. Refreshed. Ready to play this two ball. He's gone with that shot again. He seems to favour that rather than thinning the ball. Now surely he's going to go for the bank shot here. Especially with the position. Yeah some work to do though to get to the four. Strokes it beautifully. Very nice shot. Five definitely passes to six. Stunned off the background is he. Or is he drawing straight back. Can he draw? Yes he can. Needs a bit of help to reach this one. Grabs the bridge. It's the diamond bridge. Oh clever little shot there. May need it again Lee Van. May be playing it left-handed. It's Donnie Mills look. Oh he's playing it under. Underbody. Very creative. Wants a bounce. He's got it. He's fine. Surely Justin's not going to give him these is he. Three balls away from the hill. Oh and he's given him again. On the hill then. Lee Van Cortes up. Justin certainly had his chances didn't he. Two zero down. Won the next four racks. Break he was using. Not really. I mean you're never guaranteed to make a ball but you're trying to get lucky balls when you're breaking the way he was. Hitting them full on. Lee Van Cortes has been playing the cut break more. To make the one in the side. With an intention of making the one in the side. He does so again. Well he's made a couple more in there as well. Look at this. No look at the two ball. Three balls down. Have to come up with a push shot. Somewhere near that middle diamond on that top rail. All three balls going in the same pocket. Look at this. The four and the seven having a little race. Both made the finish line. Seven ball just for the four. Justin not wanting anything to do with that push out. Gives it straight back. No Lee Van needs some luck here. Hasn't got it. Two ball goes to the side. Draw off the side rail. Slow drag behind the five. Into the same pocket with a five. He'd been impressed with the the way this match has flowed. For the day it is a potting game. Both players have been very very attacking. Of course we've had our safety battles as well. It's always interesting to see that side of the game also. Just as creative. Two ball springs to mind. I think both players had about at least six shots each at that two ball. Justin needed just one visit to bring the score back to eight five. Good breaking. Lee Van on the hill. Justin cannot afford too many more mistakes. Those aramid balls nice and tight on the accurac. On top of that Simone's cloth. Top of the diamond table. All lit up by lemon lights. By diamond lights actually. This particular tournament. Some master's chalk. Going on to the tip. No problems whatsoever here for Cortez. Just three to the four and then should be game over. Six ball in a nice position to get to the seven. Once again Lee Van letting the cue ball go where it wants to go. Round back of the five. Nice shot. Well Lee Van wins. I'd like it. I'd love to know the ball count in this particular match because we really saw nine balls potted in it. We're not going to see it in the final rack either. Unbelievable. Anyway Lee Van Cortez goes through to round six. Justin Hall is out having already used his buyback option. So Justin will have to come back next year. We'll be coming to you again guys very very soon with more action from the 2024 Derby City Classic nine ball. Thank you so much for watching. I'm Mark White. See you soon.