Brothers Racking Up Legacies

By Allyson Dix 

Jobe Publishing, Inc. 

 

Two brothers recently returned from a national billiards expo where they mingled among some of the highest billiard champions in the world. 

 Johnny and Dylan Hammontree set out for a 10-day trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in April for the 2025 Super Billiards Expo and brought home not only great memories, but Dylan was asked to join the Longoni Cues of Italy Next Gen team, a feat Johnny has previously accomplished. 

 Johnny is the first American to become a pro youth pool player for Longoni Cues of Italy, which spearheaded the Next Gen Longoni Project. The project is aimed at supporting youth players. In addition, Johnny, who just celebrated his 14th birthday earlier this month, holds 2nd place in the states of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, and this merely scratches the surface of his talent.

 Johnny started playing pool around the age of 9, but things took a more serious turn when he was invited to compete in a national tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, two years after he took an interest in the sport. He would go on to land his first sponsor, Allen 24 Masonic Lodge. He attributes some of his success to those in the Lodge for not only believing in him, but also helping him to grow and believe in himself, too. 

 The youth pro pool player is also known as Johnny Nine-Main, a nickname he earned when his father first took him bear hunting in Harlan County, Kentucky, and he has continued making his name known. He shares many enjoyable and memorable moments, including an invite by PGM Christopher Stout of Barren County to give a speech in front of 600 Masons at Kentucky Grand Lodge. 

 “My most enjoyable moment was when we went to the Super Billiards Expo in Philadelphia last spring,” Johnny recalls. This was the trip where Pierluigi Longoni invited Johnny to join the international Next Gen youth pro team. Johnny, in his excitement, said he is the “very first American player, ever, in the history of their company, which has been in business for 80 years!” 

 Johnny’s list of achievements continues to expand. Earlier this year, he played on pay-per-view television, which was unexpected, Johnny said. 

 “In January of this year, I played in the Mini Derb bank pool event at the Railyard in Louisville, and originally I wasn’t in the televised X Pool pay-per-view bank pool division (due to it being invitation only), but at the last minute, the currently-ranked #1 player in the world, Fedor Gorst, had something come up and he had to drop out, so he gave me his spot,” Johnny explained.

 He was able to watch himself on the live TV screen, which was being broadcast worldwide, at the same time he played. Johnny said that experience gave him “a strong sense of pride and courage.” Now, he has the opportunity to play in every X Pool pay-per-view event after joining another pro player team with Railyard Billiards in Louisville. 

 Johnny said he and Dylan are looking to be their best in the game. “We both have the burning desire to both be the best versions of ourselves we can be, and we will never, ever give up,” Johnny said. 

 When Dylan’s recent invitation to join the Next Gen youth pro team surfaced, Johnny said he had never seen his brother so happy or proud. 

 Dylan, or “The Bull”, is now age 15, but he began playing pool at age 11. He became more serious about the game in 2024. He often shares his adventures on social media. On February 25, Dylan wrote “Dedication. Ambition. Goals.” alongside some related photos. 

 “It’s always a challenge and no two games are alike,” Dylan said when asked about his dedication to billiards. “I was born with severe asthma, so playing pool is a sport that is easier on my lungs, because it’s not as physically demanding as many other sports.” 

 Dylan said he hopes to keep improving his game and scoring wins, while his more long-term goals include getting picked up by more major sponsors and winning a major tournament. 

 The Bull was inspired to start playing pool with a goal of doing so at the youth pro level, because he wanted to improve his game and attend tournaments all across the nation. “Watching how good a lot of the other youth players were also made me want to be as good or better than them–I want to be the best,” Dylan said. 

 Just as in any sport, there are exciting journeys and a love for the game, but challenges are always readily available, and having the wisdom to use them for good is something Dylan has already grasped. Dylan said his biggest challenge right now, as he attempts to improve his game, is position play and cue ball control. 

 “That’s where you plan ahead several shots and try to get the cue ball to line up for the best shot every time,” Dylan explained. 

 The dynamic duo, Dylan says, will be “unstoppable” in 2025. 

 “We’ll be unstoppable because you can’t defeat someone who never gives up, and we never give up,” Dylan said. 

 Joining the Longoni Next Gen youth pro team is one of Dylan’s proudest moments in his life. 

 “This is a really proud and incredible moment in my life, and it’s an honor to be part of the Longoni family now,” Dylan said, adding his sincere appreciation for his family, his fans, followers, and sponsors. Currently, Dylan is looking to add to his supportive list of sponsors. Right now, aside from Longoni Cues of Italy and Allen 24 Masonic Lodge of Glasgow, he is also sponsored by A&W of Cave City and Level Up Junior Billiards. 

 As for Johnny Nine-Main, one of his biggest future endeavors is just on the horizon after an invitation to compete in the Prostar Cup, a major European tournament, in September.

 “We will be traveling to Verona, Italy, where I’ll have the chance to compete against the adult European and world champions,” Johnny said. This is just another step towards his future goal of becoming the youngest player to ever be picked on Team USA in the Mosconi Cup. He also plans to pursue an engineering degree alongside his path as a professional pool player. 

 Johnny is always looking for new sponsors as well. His current ones include: Longoni Cues of Italy, Railyard Billiards (Louisville, Ky.), Onboard Sportswear (United Kingdom), Allen 24 Masonic Lodge (Glasgow, Ky.), Cumberland 413 Masonic Lodge and Lakes Scottish Rite (both of Burkesville, Ky.), C.D. Ward Masonic Lodge (East Bernstadt, Ky.), A&W (Cave City, Ky.), Level Up Junior Billiards, and Harris Electrical (Glasgow, Ky.). 

 Dylan and Johnny are the sons of Rick and Missy Hammontree of Metcalfe County, Kentucky. The Hammontrees are no strangers to the billiards game. Rick learned to play at age 19, and he ultimately met his wife through a game of pool. Both boys have learned how to play on the same table that Rick learned to play on all those years ago. 

 Rick said the brothers have built strong bonds through billiards. 

 “They are closer because of pool, but they are still brothers,” Rick said. “So, they have their rivalries, especially on the pool table.”  

 Johnny agrees that their travels and competitive experiences help build a closer bond for the brothers; however, he is not too shy when it comes to the 9-ball. 

 “He’s still my brother, and I will always play my best against him every time we play,” Johnny said. 

 Overall, the Hammontrees are extremely proud of their two sons as they watch their talents unfold and improve. 

 “It’s an incredible thing to watch both your sons follow in and then far exceed your footsteps,” Rick said. “With the amazing opportunities and new adventures, the boys are being presented with on a regular basis, it’s almost like watching a movie about pool, but yet it’s actually unfolding right before our eyes with our own boys. Missy and I are incredibly proud of them!” 

 Rick says that their pride goes beyond just watching them play the game.

 “Our absolute most proudest moments are when we happen to see them helping players younger than themselves with the game,” Rick said, adding that the best thing is seeing Johnny and Dylan want to proactively help the youngest players improve their own games. 

 Rick said that in the early 1990s, when he was learning to play, there was no such thing as youth or junior pro billiards. 

 “I learned from a pool shark from Pennsylvania, and all [we] knew at the time was the ‘hustle’–just like in the Tom Cruise and Paul Newman movie, ‘The Color of Money’.” 

 Rick explained that aspects such as dress and conduct codes, strict rules against gambling, and the promotion of good sportsmanship are important principles across the youth pro sport. 

 Rick named several people who have helped to sustain the youth pro billiards. Those individuals include Pierluigi Longoni of Longoni Cues of Italy; Ra Hanna with On the Wire Creative Media (California); Dee Adkins, a long-time pro player and trainer from Ohio; Kory Wolford of the Wolf’s Den Billiards in Roanoke, Virginia; Chris Curtis with Level Up Junior Billiards (Lexington); Kyle and Matt Ferguson with Railyard Billiards (Louisville); and Monica Webb, a pro player and the owner of Stixx Billiards in Villa Rica, Georgia. 

 “All of these people have helped create and continue to sustain youth pro billiards through their exhaustive efforts to help keep these young men and ladies improving, to help them grow in the sport, and to keep inspiring them to be the best they can be,” Rick said. 

 It’s people like this that keep putting opportunities out there for them through professional tournaments not only across the United States, but around the entire world. 

 Ra Hanna is the founder of the Junior International Championships (JIC), and for the past five years, the JIC has been dedicated to creating real opportunities for junior players across the country. 

 Hanna says his inspiration is rooted in the passion he sees in the young athletes, and their “hunger to compete, to grow, to be a part of something bigger than themselves.” 

 “Pool doesn’t always get the spotlight that other sports do, so we built this platform to level the playing field,” Hanna said. “To give them a chance not only to play, but to be seen, to be heard, and to believe in their own potential. Because this game–this sport–is so much more than just balls and cues. It’s discipline. It’s focus. It’s identity.” 

 Hanna said what matters most is something that also brings joy to him. “Watching them lose with grace, win with humility, and grow with every experience. That’s what matters. That’s what stays with them long after the match is over.” 

 Pride in knowing that JIC has built a space where kids from all walks of life can come together, compete, and find their voice is something Hanna takes great pride in. He said he is incredibly proud of where USA pool is headed, and the energy right now is undeniable. 

 “The next generation is bringing something new–something powerful–and the foundation we’ve built is starting to show real results. We’re not just witnessing a wave of talent–we’re building a legacy.” 

 Hanna, who resides in Northern California, shared personal sentiments for both Dylan and Johnny: 

 “You two are a powerful example of what this journey is all about. 

 “Johnny, your professionalism, humility, and competitive spirit make you the kind of player any sponsor would be proud to support. Being selected as the first American on Team Longoni is a huge honor, and you earned every bit of it. But what I admire most is the way you influence your brother. The bond between you and Dylan is special. You lead by example, and he’s watching, learning, and growing because of it. 

 “Each one, teach one”–that’s more than a phrase. It’s a responsibility. And seeing both of you live that out gives me hope. You’re not just playing the game–you’re helping shape the future of it. And I couldn’t be more proud.”