An Anchorage team and a Juneau man both grabbed third-place finishes at the Billiard Congress of America National Championships in Las Vegas.
The JJ's Lounge team of Mike Stock, Bill Stock, Billy Stephen, Donnie Atkinson and Rob Martin last week earned third place out of 383 teams in the Gold Division.
In singles play, Nieko Isturis, a 27-year-old from Juneau, claimed third place in the men's mixed 8-ball tournament.
JJ's went 10-2 in the four-day, double-elimination competition. The team won its first six matches over the first two days of play. After dropping its first match 13-9 on the third day of play, it recovered with a 13-9 win to end the day.
JJ's won three more matches on the fourth day before losing its last match 13-12, squandering leads of 8-0 and 12-6, according to team member Mike Stock. The team won $5,000.
"Our team clicked into a higher gear Day 3 and we truly believed we would win the tournament," Stock said via email. "Ultimately, I feel like we just ran out of gas after playing so many matches that last day and it just wasn't meant to be."
JJ's was one of seven Alaska teams competing at nationals. Teams from Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Wasilla were represented.
Stock said the event is "considered the greatest pool tournament in the world" and featured "over 5,500 players and 300 pool tables."
The Gold Division was one of three classifications for teams. The Trophy Division, with 107 teams, is the least competitive with no prize money involved. The Platinum Division, with 21 teams, is the highest level and consists of "almost pro-level players," Stock said. With 383 teams, the Gold Division is the most competitive, he said.