Before putting holes in my Ebonite Warrior, I read some reviews and considered what others had said in their Facebook and Twitter posts before and after competing.
In the past, I’ve struggled with balls that came with the Powerhouse Factory Finish polish, so I always keep that in mind. I’ve experienced over/under reactions (too much length on one shot and an extreme/surprising move down lane on the next). However, I do throw the ball before adjusting the cover in any way. Generally, a little more surface tends to suit my game better, but not always.
Since I usually don’t see a lot of friction on the left side during PBA regionals, the Warrior primarily has been relegated to house shots right now, though it was an extra option on the PBA Regional Cheetah pattern this weekend.
After a couple of practice games on a house shot, I did decide to break the factory shine with a 4000 Abralon pad. It helped eliminate some of the skid in the front part of the lane and calmed down the backend reaction a little bit, making it more predictable throughout.
In one of my leagues, I encountered drier lanes than I’ve seen in a long time, and the Warrior ended up being the perfect option.
The Game Breaker 2 Gold made its move a little too early, and I didn’t feel the shape I create with the Honor was right, so I was able to straighten things up with the Warrior. It got down the lane very well and was strong and angular off the end of the pattern.
While I do tend to use at least a little surface on most PBA patterns, I intend to keep the Warrior in play to see what it will do on each pattern as is, especially later in a block or on different surfaces. At those events, I like to play more direct and not give away the pocket, so I believe the Warrior could be an effective piece.
As always, I’ll likely try it with different surfaces, but I think it will fit best with the polish and 4000 pad, so I can use it for drier lanes. I am a speed-dominant, medium-rev left-hander.
When I need a little more length than the new Adrenaline Shot or a little more angle down lane than the Game Breaker 2 Gold, the Warrior will be my first choice.
For the technical folks, my Ebonite Warrior is drilled 5 x 4 ½ x 3
Matt Cannizzaro
Ebonite Regional Staff