Keon KT Tyson
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA — Keon KT Tyson of Money Team saved his biggest statement for the biggest stage, overcoming a 3–1 deficit in the final to defeat Bernard Killa Percival of Billiard Kings 5-3 and capture the 2026 NPPA 8-Ball Singles Championship.
In a tournament featuring 81 players, KT finished unbeaten at 6–0, but his path to the title was anything but routine.
The championship final began with KT taking the opening rack, putting him in front early. Killa responded emphatically, winning the next three racks to take control of the match and move within striking distance of the title at 3–1.
With the championship suddenly leaning toward Killa, KT produced the response of a champion.
The Money Team standout won the next four racks in succession, completely reversing the momentum and closing out the final. The comeback secured the title and preserved KT’s perfect record throughout the tournament.
It was a fitting conclusion to a campaign defined by consistency.
KT accumulated 43 points, the highest total recorded in the tournament, while his 7.17 points-per-match average was also the best in the field. Those numbers underline just how consistently he performed, but the final provided perhaps the clearest evidence of his ability to stay composed when the pressure was at its highest.
For Killa, the tournament ended with a runner-up finish after an impressive run of his own. He completed the competition with a 5–1 record, scoring 34 points and averaging 5.67 points per match. His only defeat came in the championship match, where a seemingly commanding 3–1 advantage ultimately slipped away.
The former champion, Cabrel Joe Foguel, vice captain of the SharpShooters secured third place from his teammate Desmond Pumpkin Gordon,also finishing with a 5–1 record. Joel accumulated 32 points for a 5.33 points-per-match average, establishing himself among the tournament’s leading performers.
Other players also posted noteworthy numbers.
Pachy of Cue Action finished 3–1 with 21 points and a 5.25 points-per-match average. Pumpkin of SS recorded a 4–2 record and 24 points, while Comeback Kid of Money Team and Tenty of Obsidian each went 3–1 and scored 18 points.
The depth of the competition was evident before the quarter-finals, when six of the eight remaining players were undefeated. With the single-elimination format leaving no margin for recovery after a loss, reaching that stage without a defeat was an achievement in itself.
Yet the final standings ultimately belonged to KT.
His tournament was defined by two numbers that stand out immediately — 6–0 and 43 points. But the sequence that may be remembered longest is the one from the championship match: 1–0, 1–3, then four straight racks to finish 5–3.
That comeback transformed what could have been a narrow championship defeat into the defining moment of KT’s title run.
The 2026 NPPA 8-Ball Singles Tournament therefore produced not only a new champion, but a championship performance including three consecutive runouts that combined statistical consistency with the ability to respond under pressure.
For Money Team, KT’s victory adds another major individual achievement to the team’s 2026 campaign. For Killa and Joel, their podium finishes confirmed their place among the tournament’s strongest performers.
And for the other 78 competitors, the tournament once again demonstrated the growing depth and competitiveness of the NPPA field.
Now, there is little time to celebrate.
The NPPA season moves on to the 2026 NPPA 9-Ball Singles Tournament, which begins Monday, September 7, with the schedule already posted.
The 2026 NPPA 10-Ball Doubles Tournament follows on Monday, October 5, with registration updates coming soon.
The 2026 NPPA 8-ball singles title belongs to KT.
That is how champions respond.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: KT Rallies From 3–1 Down to Capture NPPA 8-Ball Singles Crown.