The 5th Best One Pocket player in the world...

T

the Professor

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Drop The Rock said:
I'll take Dennis as 5th who still doesn't want to play Tony even. Tony wrecked Shane for 5k a few months ago.

You are entitled to your opinion but I disagree. Efren and Alex aren't going anywhere, and neither is Tony, Scott hasn't been Scott lately though.

Robb Saez and I talked about it the other day and he said the exact same thing.
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One person that seems to get very little traction in these types of threads is Justin Hall, and he plays fantastic one pocket.

I also think that Justin Bergman is very underrated one pocket player.
 
Str8PoolPlayer

Str8PoolPlayer

“1966 500 SuperFast”
Silver Member
There was a time when I would have placed Corey Deuel or Rafael Martinez in the Top 5.

I will always believe that Rafael could have been the Best in the World.
 
K

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good point..,

Str8PoolPlayer said:
There was a time when I would have placed Corey Deuel or Rafael Martinez in the Top 5.

I will always believe that Rafael could have been the Best in the World.
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Rafael could have been one the best, but he got a little off message over the last two years, not sure what was bugging him, but I now hear that he's stuck in Mexico and cant come back to the states because he refuses to address his citizenship/authorization issues?
 
D

drv4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Agree with the poster that said if Shane specialized he would knock someone out of that top 4. Efren is a no doubter. I personally would put Shane in the top 4 now prob ahead of Alex and Scott. Alex didn't look too sharp in the MIH.
 
noMoreSchon

noMoreSchon

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shane is a great player, no doubt about it, but to make it in the top 5 is a stretch.

As far as Tony Chohan, next year we can revisit this thread and re-access how well he

plays. One pocket has seen a revitalization in the last several years and great one pocket

players are not always the one's who shoots to his hole. Unless you are the 'freezer'!

Efren 'plays' one pocket to such a high level, because he likes to bait and think, I would

hate to play him some chess also. In short, if the great one pocket professor were still

alive would you put him in the box with Shane? How about some ten ball with him. Has

a chance at one and not the other, two different types of styles due to the games the grew

up playing.
 
Str8PoolPlayer

Str8PoolPlayer

“1966 500 SuperFast”
Silver Member
King T said:
Rafael could have been one the best, but he got a little off message over the last two years, not sure what was bugging him, but I now hear that he's stuck in Mexico and cant come back to the states because he refuses to address his citizenship/authorization issues?
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If I knew how to contact him I, and a few others around Sacramento, would
pool some money to help him return to the U.S.
 
CptBurbagio

CptBurbagio

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I saw Rafael last time I got my tip replaced. He was banging his newly-affixed tip on the floor over and over to simulate having played with it for awhile. He said I like to shoot hard when he watched me test my new tip, and I've made a major improvement in my game since then by simply taking that observation to heart. That was in the last six months I believe, or maybe just a bit longer.
 
J

justinb386

Banned
Drop The Rock said:
Top 4

If I were to put them in order it would be tough and not very accurate because at their level its tough to say. Other than Alex being No. 1 I'm gonna keep that to myself.

This is my interpretation of their games at their current speed. MIH doesn't effect my opinion of Tony, Scott (because he wasn't there), Alex or Efren.

I'd also like to add that a handful of pros and shortstops have these guys on their list as well.

Alex---> The most well rounded one pocket alive. Moves the best (except for Efren maybe), can run out the most and from anywhere. If I had to pick one player to beat the One Pocket ghost in a headset, it would be Alex. High gear definitely tied with or over (current) Efren. Top tier shot making. Plays very simple when he can. Alex executes simple shots with near perfect precision. He can lock anyone up from almost anywhere.

Efren---> The most creativity, moves with the best but a little differently/more complicated (no one sees what he sees) Has a gear that...well is Efren. Efren will beat you to the first shot 9/10 if he is playing his top game. Doesn't have the shot making ability that he used to but its on par with the course. The most difficult player to trap by far. Kicks the best.

Tony--->BY FAR the most aggressive/offensive of the 4. He isn't Danny Smith aggressive, but he is aggressive. He moves well and aggressively, kind of like Scott, but throws a little more caution to the wind. If put in a situation where he has the option to shoot, he will probably shoot and make it. I'd put his shot making ability at the top with Alex, especially with difficult and advanced shots. Tony shoots the rail first kick the ball from your opponents pocket to your pocket better than anyone on the planet, (can't count how many times he made it on Richie and Josh) . Runs the balls with the other 3 no problem, Top gear (gambling) slightly under or tied with Alex. Tony will shoot and make the shots you aren't supposed to shoot sometimes. "If you don't miss, you can't sellout"

Scott--->Scott is always trying to accomplish multiple things at once. He can run balls as well or better than the other 3 at times. He is almost as creative as Efren. His can be aggressive, but not as aggressive as Tony. He knows the game as well as Efren and Alex. Scott doesn't quite have the shot making ability that the other 3 do, but has a dynamic game that makes him tough to fade.

One thing I will rank these guys on is the end game. With one ball left on the table I like in order:

Efren
Alex
Scott
Tony

As Scott once commented on Efren playing Gentiles "What are you gonna do, play safe with Efren all day?"

Enough about these 4 guys. Who is number 5? Who is the 5th best one pocket player in the world right now?

I personally like Dennis, he doesn't move great but doesn't move bad either. He also shoots so straight that it hurts.

I know Shane will make a few peoples lists as well. He'd really have to play Dennis a one pocket set. That'd be something.

I like Danny Smith's game too. Its pretty similar to Tony's except Danny Banks a little better but doesn't move as well.
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What about Corey Deuel. What number would he be on your list?
 
Str8PoolPlayer

Str8PoolPlayer

“1966 500 SuperFast”
Silver Member
CptBurbagio said:
I saw Rafael last time I got my tip replaced. He was banging his newly-affixed tip on the floor over and over to simulate having played with it for awhile. He said I like to shoot hard when he watched me test my new tip, and I've made a major improvement in my game since then by simply taking that observation to heart. That was in the last six months I believe, or maybe just a bit longer.
Click to expand...

When he was playing out of Jointed Cue in Sacramento, he always banged his tips
on the sidewalk out front. Man, he can do magic tricks with the Cue Ball. We miss
him in NorCal.
 
TheMadScientist

TheMadScientist

Justin Richardson
Silver Member
I'd say Shane is in the top five. His execution is just too strong.

List so far of players playing in two weeks at the $2000 buy in event in Des Moines at Big Dog Billiards:

Efren R
Alex P
Shane V
Jeremy J
Tony C
Danny S
Scott F
Jessie B
Dennis O
Francisco B
Josh R
Corey D
Justin B
Ike R
Billy T
 
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