Kamal Hunte won both his matches to give the University of T&T a 3-1 won over Himalaya Tough Guys in a key Championship Division match of the National Table Tennis League on Wednesday night.
Following its shock 0-3 loss to D'Abadie Youths I a night earlier, UTT was desperate to get back on winning track and Hunte got the perfect start, an 11-7, 11-2, 7-11, 11-1 whipping of Imtaiz Mohammed while Lawrence Ince defeated Riad Abasali 11-3, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8 to make it 2-0.
Vinoo Maraj then starved off defeat for Tough Guys with an 11-9, 11-4, 11-4 beating of Lamani Clarke, but Hunte returned to beat Abasali 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 for the team victory, its 19th from 24 matches for 43 points, and two matches left.
Three points behind are PowerGen and Guaya Dream Team which have played 22 and 24 matches respectively while D'Abadie Youths I is fourth with 36 points from 20 matches followed by Arima Hawks with 35 and six matches remaining also.
Guaya kepts it title hopes alive by whipping UWI 3-1 thanks to a couple of wins from Franklyn Seechan, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 over Ambika Sitram, and 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-4 against Kourdell Powell.
Michael Mc Comie had the other win for Guaya, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10 over Sanchez Mangaroo after Powell had tied up the match at 1-1 by beating Neville Cobie, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9.
However, he title is in the hands of Powergen or the D'Abadie I as whoever should win their remaining matches will take the crown
In the night's other match, the best of the lot, D'Abadie Youths II edged Carenage Blasters 3-2 with Edwin Humphreys' two wins, and Daveon Humphrey's victory on the night, being decisive.
Edwin overcame Nigel Morgan 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 for a 1-0 lead and Joshua Maxwell 9-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-8, 11-9 to get his team back level at 2-2 before Daveon stopped Morgan 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 in the fifth and deciding match.
Maxwell rallied past Daveon 5-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 and Dennis La Rose downed Matthew Mootra by the same identical scoreline, 5-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9.
Results
TTTA National League Championship Division:
Teams P W L DefaultLoss SetsWon SetsLoss Pts
UTT 24 19 5 0 63 31 43
PowerGen 22 18 4 0 59 20 40
Guaya DT 24 16 8 0 58 37 40
D'Abadie I 20 16 4 0 52 23 36
Arima Hawks 20 15 5 0 42 26 35
Montrose 21 13 8 0 44 38 34
Himalaya TG 19 13 6 0 45 24 32
D'Abadie II 21 10 11 0 40 42 31
Solo Crusaders 21 7 14 0 31 46 28
Central Warriors 22 4 18 0 13 55 26
Carenage Blasters 20 7 12 1 37 37 23
UWI 19 6 11 2 26 43 23
Oxford 26 8 18 16 16 21
Chase Village 13 0 7 19 2 63 7
NB: Default loss = zero points of losing team?