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Easton Retakes No. 1 as Connor Survives Two Double-Tiebreak Thrillers
Easton retook #1 after a perfect 3–0 day, but Connor sits just seven points behind after surviving two dramatic double tiebreaks. Logan surged back into contention, while Ari continued to slide and both Samuel and William fell to the 0-point floor.
# Easton Retakes No. 1 as Connor Survives Two Double-Tiebreak Thrillers
**By Andy Randy | NCBA News**
The NCBA preseason has a new leader again.
**Easton went undefeated Monday to reclaim the #1 ranking with 564 points—but Connor sits only seven points behind after surviving two extraordinary double-tiebreak matches.**
Meanwhile, Logan produced his strongest performance of the preseason, Ari continued to slide after once reaching 500 points, and both William A. Samuel H. fallen to the NCBA's 0-point floor.
## Easton Goes Perfect and Retakes #1
Easton entered Monday chasing Connor.
He left it seven points ahead of him.
The defending NCBA Champion went **3–0**, defeating William 6–5, Logan 6–5 and Samuel 6–1.
The Samuel victory was Easton's most dominant of the day and helped push his season-leading ball differential to **+19**.
Easton is now **10–3**, has won four consecutive matches and becomes the first player this preseason to reach **10 victories**.
His rating now stands at a preseason-high **564**.
But his lead is almost nonexistent.
## Connor Refuses to Lose
Connor only played twice Monday.
Both matches went to tiebreaks.
Neither was ordinary.
Connor first faced Ari in a match that remained tied even after the **first tiebreak**, forcing the players into a second.
Ari appeared to have it.
With only **one ball remaining to knock in**, he stood on the verge of handing Connor his third loss of the preseason.
Connor came back.
He completed the turnaround and escaped with the victory.
Then he faced Triston.
Again, regulation couldn't decide it.
Again, the first tiebreak couldn't decide it.
And again, **Connor won the second tiebreak**.
Two matches.
Two double tiebreaks.
Two Connor victories.
Connor improves to an NCBA-best **9–2 record with an 82% winning percentage** and has won four straight.
His 557 rating points leave him just **seven behind Easton**.
The long-awaited Easton–Connor matchup now carries enormous stakes.
## Logan Finally Looks Like Logan Again
Last season's NCBA Championship runner-up has spent much of this preseason searching for answers.
Monday may have provided them.
Logan defeated Samuel 6–2, William in a tiebreak and then delivered one of the day's biggest results by upsetting **#4 Ari 6–3 while ranked #9**.
The Ari victory earned Logan **59 rating points**.
His only loss came against Easton—and even that was just 6–5.
Logan has climbed **four positions to #7**, owns 176 rating points and carries an impressive **+12 ball differential** despite his 6–7 record.
After falling as low as #11, Logan suddenly looks much more like the player who reached last season's championship final.
## Ari's Slide Continues
Not long ago, Ari was the story of the NCBA.
Seven consecutive victories carried him to #1 and **500 rating points**.
Things have changed dramatically.
Ari went 1–3 Monday.
He defeated Dravon in a tiebreak but lost to Connor in the dramatic double tiebreak, lost another 6–5 matchup with Triston and then suffered a 6–3 upset against Logan.
Ari is now **10–8**, has a **-3 ball differential** and has fallen to **272 points at #4**.
The talent that produced the preseason's longest dominant stretch hasn't disappeared.
But neither have the losses.
## Triston Keeps Causing Problems
Triston continues to be one of the strangest players in the NCBA.
He defeated Crosby 6–4 and once again defeated Ari, this time 6–5.
Then he took Connor through **two tiebreaks** before finally losing.
Triston now sits at **11–9 with 333 points**, enough to move into third place.
His 20 matches are also far more than most of the players around him.
Triston may not have Connor or Easton's winning percentage, but his ability to threaten virtually anyone remains undeniable.
## Daniel Makes a Move
Daniel quietly had one of the better days in the middle of the standings.
He defeated Samuel 6–4 and Crosby 6–5, giving him two consecutive victories.
Daniel is now **2–1 with 241 points** and has climbed to sixth.
With only three games played, there is still plenty to learn about him.
But the early results are promising.
## Crosby Gets His First Win
Crosby finally has an NCBA victory.
Ranked #12 against #11 Samuel, Crosby pulled out a **6–5 upset**, earning 53 rating points.
His celebration didn't last long.
Losses to Triston and Daniel later brought Crosby all the way back down to just **2 points**.
Still, 1–5 looks considerably better than 0–5.
## Two Players Hit Zero
Samuel's difficult preseason has taken another dramatic turn.
After previously reaching zero, winning four straight and climbing back to 100 points, Samuel H. now lost **six consecutive matches**.
Monday brought losses to Logan, Crosby, Daniel and Easton.
The 6–1 defeat against Easton was particularly damaging.
Samuel is now **4–12 with a -19 ball differential and 0 rating points**.
He isn't alone.
William has also reached the **0-point floor** after falling to 4–9 on a three-game losing streak.
For the first time this preseason, two players simultaneously sit at zero.
## Seven Points
The latest top four:
**1. Easton — 564 (10–3)**
**2. Connor — 557 (9–2)**
**3. Triston — 333 (11–9)**
**4. Ari — 272 (10–8)**
The gap between second and third is **224 points**.
The gap between first and second is **seven**.
Easton has more wins, the better ball differential and the #1 ranking.
Connor has fewer losses, the better winning percentage and two double-tiebreak victories that showed just how difficult he is to finish off.
And somehow, despite everything that has happened this preseason, they still have not settled it against each other.
At this point, there may be only one appropriate next match.
**#1 Easton vs. #2 Connor.**
**Andy Randy**
*NCBA News*
**By Andy Randy | NCBA News**
The NCBA preseason has a new leader again.
**Easton went undefeated Monday to reclaim the #1 ranking with 564 points—but Connor sits only seven points behind after surviving two extraordinary double-tiebreak matches.**
Meanwhile, Logan produced his strongest performance of the preseason, Ari continued to slide after once reaching 500 points, and both William A. Samuel H. fallen to the NCBA's 0-point floor.
## Easton Goes Perfect and Retakes #1
Easton entered Monday chasing Connor.
He left it seven points ahead of him.
The defending NCBA Champion went **3–0**, defeating William 6–5, Logan 6–5 and Samuel 6–1.
The Samuel victory was Easton's most dominant of the day and helped push his season-leading ball differential to **+19**.
Easton is now **10–3**, has won four consecutive matches and becomes the first player this preseason to reach **10 victories**.
His rating now stands at a preseason-high **564**.
But his lead is almost nonexistent.
## Connor Refuses to Lose
Connor only played twice Monday.
Both matches went to tiebreaks.
Neither was ordinary.
Connor first faced Ari in a match that remained tied even after the **first tiebreak**, forcing the players into a second.
Ari appeared to have it.
With only **one ball remaining to knock in**, he stood on the verge of handing Connor his third loss of the preseason.
Connor came back.
He completed the turnaround and escaped with the victory.
Then he faced Triston.
Again, regulation couldn't decide it.
Again, the first tiebreak couldn't decide it.
And again, **Connor won the second tiebreak**.
Two matches.
Two double tiebreaks.
Two Connor victories.
Connor improves to an NCBA-best **9–2 record with an 82% winning percentage** and has won four straight.
His 557 rating points leave him just **seven behind Easton**.
The long-awaited Easton–Connor matchup now carries enormous stakes.
## Logan Finally Looks Like Logan Again
Last season's NCBA Championship runner-up has spent much of this preseason searching for answers.
Monday may have provided them.
Logan defeated Samuel 6–2, William in a tiebreak and then delivered one of the day's biggest results by upsetting **#4 Ari 6–3 while ranked #9**.
The Ari victory earned Logan **59 rating points**.
His only loss came against Easton—and even that was just 6–5.
Logan has climbed **four positions to #7**, owns 176 rating points and carries an impressive **+12 ball differential** despite his 6–7 record.
After falling as low as #11, Logan suddenly looks much more like the player who reached last season's championship final.
## Ari's Slide Continues
Not long ago, Ari was the story of the NCBA.
Seven consecutive victories carried him to #1 and **500 rating points**.
Things have changed dramatically.
Ari went 1–3 Monday.
He defeated Dravon in a tiebreak but lost to Connor in the dramatic double tiebreak, lost another 6–5 matchup with Triston and then suffered a 6–3 upset against Logan.
Ari is now **10–8**, has a **-3 ball differential** and has fallen to **272 points at #4**.
The talent that produced the preseason's longest dominant stretch hasn't disappeared.
But neither have the losses.
## Triston Keeps Causing Problems
Triston continues to be one of the strangest players in the NCBA.
He defeated Crosby 6–4 and once again defeated Ari, this time 6–5.
Then he took Connor through **two tiebreaks** before finally losing.
Triston now sits at **11–9 with 333 points**, enough to move into third place.
His 20 matches are also far more than most of the players around him.
Triston may not have Connor or Easton's winning percentage, but his ability to threaten virtually anyone remains undeniable.
## Daniel Makes a Move
Daniel quietly had one of the better days in the middle of the standings.
He defeated Samuel 6–4 and Crosby 6–5, giving him two consecutive victories.
Daniel is now **2–1 with 241 points** and has climbed to sixth.
With only three games played, there is still plenty to learn about him.
But the early results are promising.
## Crosby Gets His First Win
Crosby finally has an NCBA victory.
Ranked #12 against #11 Samuel, Crosby pulled out a **6–5 upset**, earning 53 rating points.
His celebration didn't last long.
Losses to Triston and Daniel later brought Crosby all the way back down to just **2 points**.
Still, 1–5 looks considerably better than 0–5.
## Two Players Hit Zero
Samuel's difficult preseason has taken another dramatic turn.
After previously reaching zero, winning four straight and climbing back to 100 points, Samuel H. now lost **six consecutive matches**.
Monday brought losses to Logan, Crosby, Daniel and Easton.
The 6–1 defeat against Easton was particularly damaging.
Samuel is now **4–12 with a -19 ball differential and 0 rating points**.
He isn't alone.
William has also reached the **0-point floor** after falling to 4–9 on a three-game losing streak.
For the first time this preseason, two players simultaneously sit at zero.
## Seven Points
The latest top four:
**1. Easton — 564 (10–3)**
**2. Connor — 557 (9–2)**
**3. Triston — 333 (11–9)**
**4. Ari — 272 (10–8)**
The gap between second and third is **224 points**.
The gap between first and second is **seven**.
Easton has more wins, the better ball differential and the #1 ranking.
Connor has fewer losses, the better winning percentage and two double-tiebreak victories that showed just how difficult he is to finish off.
And somehow, despite everything that has happened this preseason, they still have not settled it against each other.
At this point, there may be only one appropriate next match.
**#1 Easton vs. #2 Connor.**
**Andy Randy**
*NCBA News*