It was a great week for Scotchie’s Spartans in the Billiards Sports Organization’s National Pool League. Following on from the premier division team’s maiden win last week, their first division team climbed off the bottom of the Group A standings with an impressive 3-2 win over Lucky’s Knight Riders second team.
The win sees them end the first half of the league in eighth spot, switching places with the Expendables, who are now in the cellar position.
The night did not start off so well for the Spartans, who were playing at their home venue, Shindig Sports Bar in Curepe, but where they fell short up front, they more than made up for in the middle. Anthony John played the first game for the hosts but lost 1-3 to Kardaish Gobindass.
John lost the first rack and won the second, but that was all the success he would have, as Gobindass reached three frames first.
Gerard Portell was next for the hosts against Michael Raghoonanan, and again, the home team fell behind early. The difference in this game was that Portell, who continues to show steady improvement, found some form and won the next three frames to pull his team level at one apiece. That started a seven-frame win streak for the Spartans as the doubles pair of Lindsay Whisky and Mukesh Ramnath won three straight racks, and Mayton Charles took a 1-nil lead in the fourth game against Brad Ali, one of the youngest players in the league, at 17 years of age. That fourth game could have gone either way, with Ali coming from behind twice to tie things up, but the experience of Charles proved to be the determining factor, as he took the game 3-2 and gave his team an unassailable advantage at three games to one. In the final game, Vishnu Mahase breezed by Shameel Saboo 3-nil for a consolation win for the visitors. Despite the loss, the Knight Riders II remain in seventh spot on the standings, just ahead of the ‘Spartans’. Knight Riders II, Scotchie’s Spartans and the Expendables all have a record of two wins from eight matches.
In other group A action, Special Brew recorded a major upset by beating the Sikarioz Billiards Club 3-2 to hand the group leaders their first loss of the 8 Ball campaign. Special Brew, meanwhile, are on a two-match win streak and are now third on the Group A standings with five wins and three losses. Pocket Predators, who are second in Group A with the same win/loss record as Sikarioz, came back from a two-game deficit to register a 3-2 win against Zhao at the Pyramid Sports Bar in Gasparillo. Sikarioz and Predators both have seven wins and a solitary loss. Agora Stingers, in fifth spot, were inactive in week 9. JJ Shooters occupy sixth place on the table. They handed the Expendables their sixth loss of the season, also at the Pyramid venue.
In Group B: Cue Masters continue to lead the group after registering their sixth win of the league, a 3-2 away win over Roxbury Shot Callers at Roxbury Sports Bar in Cunupia. The match could have gone either way, with Cue Masters winning nine frames and Roxbury winning eight. Other matches in Group B: Orinoco B leapfrogs Central Stars B into second place on the table, on the back of a 4-1 win over the ‘Stars’ at Kenny’s in Chaguanas. The Sangre Grande team now has the same six-and-two win/loss record as the leaders in the group. Central Stars, meanwhile, has dropped down to fourth with five wins and three losses.
Knight Riders I now hold down third spot after defeating Mucurapo Musketeers 4-1. The Musketeers have been struggling in their debut season and are yet to register a win. In the only other game in round 9, Crazy 8’s in fifth defeated eighth-placed Panthers 4-1, and Top Shooterz Krew, who are sixth on the table, were on a week 9 bye.
Tuesday’s Group A Matches
Zhao vs Knight Riders at Pyramid, Gasparillo
Agora Stingers vs Special Brew at Raj Bar, Caparo
Sikarioz Billiards Club vs JJ Shooters at Billiards Place, Aranguez
Expendables vs Pocket Predators at Pyramid, Gasparillo
Scotchie’s Spartans - Bye
Tuesday Group B Matches
Top Shooterz Krew Vs Panthers at Billiards Place, Aranguez
Roxbury Shot Callers vs Orinoco B at Roxbury, Cunupia
Central Stars B vs Mucurapo Musketeers at Kenny’s, Chaguanas
Crazy 8s vs Cue Masters at Special Brew, Couva
Knight Riders I - Bye
