Veteran Rodolfo “Boy Samson” Luat’s excellent run in the Derby City Classic Banks division finally ended when he was beaten by the experienced John Brumback in back-to-back matches in the finals at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Southern Indiana .
Luat, Brumback and Jonathan Hennessee were the last three players remaining in the event and Luat held the advantage as the only player with a buy-back option and got a bye while Brumback and Hennessee slugged it out to decide on who would challenge the Filipino.
Brumback won 3-2 and faced Luat in the finals where he had to win twice.
AZ Billiards reported that Luat “discovered that a John Brumback in stroke can be a hard thing to deal with.”
While Luat displayed his smooth and fluent Filipino banking game, AZ Billiards noted that experience was what mattered as Brumback won the first set 3-2 and the second set 3-1.
After two second place finishes in the Banks division, the win was Brumback’s first top finish. It also leaves Brumback as the front runner for the all around title. Brumback has already won his first two one pocket matches.
Brumback attributed his win to his early years growing up and learning from players like Gary Spaeth, Donnie Anderson and Truman Hogue.
