World Champion Thorsten Hohmann dashed Tony Drago's chances of appearing in tomorrow evening's play-offs with a clinical display of break and run pool at the 2003 StanJames.com World Pool League.
Hohmann now seems almost certain of taking his place in the semi-finals and only a miraculous performance from fellow countryman Oliver Ortmann can deny him.
The 24 year-old German took the opener against Drago's break as Tony made a miss on the 3-ball and he increased his lead in the second when the Maltese potter scratched.
The players traded break and runs in the next two before an error by Drago allowed Hohmann to move into a 4 - 2.
Drago then compounded matters by over-drawing the cue ball on the break to see it drop into the top pocket. With ball in hand, Hohmann ran out to put the score at 5 - 2.
Drago took the next as a crashing break opened up the pack but Hohmann, who's break shot is an increasing forte of his game, did the same in the next to ensure the two points.
The second match of the evening decided the fate of Oliver Ortmann as his 6 - 4 defeat at the hands of Efren Reyes means that he too cannot qualify for the play-offs
Ortmann gave it a go though as took the first against the break and stuck with Reyes all the way until the scores stood at 4 - 4.
Reyes ran out the ninth rack to clinch a point and seal the Mosconi Cup captain's fate and a dry break by Ortmann gave the table back to Reyes. He laid a snooker and Ortmann scratched trying to extract himself from it and a 5 / 9 combination sealed the points for Reyes.
The final match of the evening saw Taiwan's deadly looking Hui-kai Hsia lose his unbeaten record to Rocket Rodney Morris by an 8 - 2 margin.
Hsia made too many mistakes as Morris moved the cue ball around the table with ease. As early as the first, Hsia missed a long 8 ball trying to do too much with the white and Morris gratefully accepted the chance.
A nice snooker by Morris set him up for a superb 2 / 9 banked carom to go to 2 - 0 and another missed pot by Hsia gave the American the chance to increase his lead.
The Taiwanese struggled to recover from such a poor start but at 4 - 2 down he still had a chance of something. Morris though, turned the screws with some quality run outs to take the points and leave himself second in the League table.
With three more matches to be played tomorrow afternoon, the four semi-finalists have already been determined. They are Reyes, Hsia, Morris and Hohmann. Who plays who will be decided tomorrow.
Photo courtesy of Mark Whiteside
Sunday Afternoon's Matches:
Tony Drago v Oliver Ortmann
Hui-kai Hsia v Efren Reyes
Rodney Morris v Thorsten Hohmann
Saturday Evening Results:
Thorsten Hohmann (Ger) 7 - 3 Tony Drago (Mal)
Efren Reyes (Phi) 6 - 4 Oliver Ortmann (Ger)
Rodney Morris (USA) 8 - 2 Hui-kai Hsia (TPE)
Day Two Standings:
| Plys | Won | Drwn | Lost | For | Away | Pts | +/- | ||
| 1 | Reyes | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 17 | 7 | +6 |
| 2 | Morris | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 16 | 6 | +8 |
| 3 | Hsia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 16 | 6 | +8 |
| 4 | Hohmann | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 19 | 4 | +2 |
| 5 | Drago | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 26 | 1 | -12 |
| 6 | Ortmann | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 0 | -12 |
