Pop-A-Shot 2026 New York City Championship Qualifier

By Bryce Smith
Championship, Elite, Events
Apr 29, 2026

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By Bryce Smith
Championship, Elite, Events
Apr 29, 2026

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  • Event Overview: A recap of the 2026 Pop-A-Shot National Championship NY Qualifier held on April 23, 2026, at Pig Beach BBQ in Astoria, featuring 110 competitors and a record-breaking qualifying cutoff score of 148.
  • Key Results: CJORDAN09 secured the championship title by defeating top-seeded veteran NICKYBUCKETZ in a Best-of-5 final, setting an evening high score of 179 and earning a spot in the national finals.
  • Upcoming Schedule: Announcement of the final two pop a shot basketball tournament qualifying opportunities: a standard qualifier in Portland on May 14th and a "Super Qualifier" in Chicago on June 11th where two players will advance.

The road to the Pop-A-Shot National Championship just got a lot more crowded. On April 23rd, 2026, the local pop a shot basketball tournament scene descended upon Pig Beach BBQ in Astoria, Queens, for what proved to be the most intense pop a shot qualifier in the history of the sport.
 

With a massive turnout and scoring levels that shattered previous records, the New York stop solidified its reputation as the epicenter of Pop-A-Shot championship level talent.

Alt image

Record Stats at the New York Pop-A-Shot Competition

The energy in Queens was unmatched as players fought for a spot in the prestigious Pop-A-Shot championship lineup. The sheer volume of play and the level of skill on display was unprecedented:

  • Total Competitors: 110
  • Games Played: 322 (via QR code scans)
  • The "Cutoff" Score: 148 (The score required just to reach the Top 8)
  • Top Score Going Into Finals: 173 (Set by NICKYBUCKETZ)
  • Highest Score of the Night: 179 (Set by CJORDAN09 in the Finals)

This event marked the most competitive scores to get into a bracket that we have seen to date. Unlike the 2025 pop a shot championship cycle, where a mid-130s score might have secured a seat, the 2026 New York field required elite-level consistency just to survive the qualifying round.

A Field of Heavy Hitters

The leaderboard looked like a "Who's Who" of the professional arcade basketball world. The pop a shot competition featured several high-profile names:

  • NICKYBUCKETZ: A 2025 national championship standout.
  • JANTAWN: The powerhouse behind the NYC pop a shot league and a multi-year veteran.
  • BRETTKARZEN & SPELLEN3: Both 2024 championship competitors.
  • DAVIDKIRK: A legendary player who hones his skills on the Pop-A-Shot Elite; he currently holds the record for the most scanned games played on that model.

The Qualifying Grind

Heading into the finals, NICKYBUCKETZ dominated the leaderboard with a 173, holding the #1 seed. However, seeds 2 through 8 were neck-and-neck, proving that the gap between the legends and the rising stars is closing fast.

The Bracket Breakdown: Path to the Championship

The Top 8 bracket was a masterclass in precision. While the first round saw mostly sweeps by higher seeds, the battle between #3 DANNYK02 and #6 DAVIDKIRK was a highlight of the night, with Danny ultimately edging out the win.

The Leaderboard

The leaderboard going into the finals looked like this: 

  1. NICKYBUCKETZ - 173
  2. CJORDAN09 - 160
  3. DANNYK02 - 158
  4. JANTAWN - 157
  5. STRELZ - 156
  6. DAVIDKIRK - 152
  7. BRETTKARZEN - 149
  8. SFLO - 148

First Round Highlights: High Stakes in Astoria

Once the dust settled on the open play, the Top 8 moved into the bracket for a Best-of-3 showdown. The intensity was palpable as the higher seeds looked to protect their positions:

#1 NICKYBUCKETZ vs. #8 SFLO: The top seed made a statement early, sweeping the series to move on.

#2 CJORDAN09 vs. #7 BRETTKARZEN: CJORDAN09 showed why he was a favorite, securing a clean sweep against the 2024 veteran.

#4 JANTAWN vs. #5 STRELZ: In a battle of NYC league regulars, JANTAWN pulled off the sweep to advance.

#3 DANNYK02 vs. #6 DAVIDKIRK: This was the "Matchup of the Round." As the only series not to end in a sweep, both players traded high-scoring games before DANNYK02 finally edged out the win to advance to the Semi-Finals.

The Semi-Finals and Finals: A New Face Enters The Title Race

The Semi-Finals set the stage for a heavyweight clash, with NICKYBUCKETZ sweeping JANTAWN and CJORDAN09 sweeping DANNYK02.


The championship match featured the two most dominant players of the evening: NICKYBUCKETZ and CJORDAN09. This Best-of-5 series was a rematch of titans who had both consistently cleared the 170-point mark during bracket play.
 

NICKYBUCKETZ took the first game, looking like he would cruise to another victory. However, CJORDAN09, a competitor who hasn’t been able to get to the finish line, finally flipped the script.
 

CJORDAN09 proceeded to put on a clinic, winning games 2, 3, and 4. He punctuated his victory by setting an evening high score of 179 in the final game to win it all.

Your Last Chances to Qualify: Portland and Chicago

With this win, CJORDAN09 officially punches his ticket as the newest face in the 2026 Pop-A-Shot National Championship lineup. He will move on to face our most competitive field yet as the championship enters its third year of running.

 

If you haven't secured your spot yet, time is running out! We have only two stops remaining on the official events page:

Portland Qualifier

May 14th, 2026 at Quarter World Arcade in Portland, OR

Chicago Super Qualifier

June 11th, 2026 at Punch Bowl Social and 2 individuals will qualify for the Championship!


The Chicago event is our final pop a shot competition before the main event, and with two qualifying spots on the line, it is guaranteed to be a battle for the ages.
 

Think you have what it takes to beat the best? 

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