Shane Van Boening
Match 13
Roberts opened the scoring with a cross corner bank through traffic and a long shot, then put a ball in front of his pocket. A few turns later all 13 remaining balls had been herded past the side pockets. Roberts made a long railer, and now led 3-0. Ten balls were now in the kitchen! Thorpe tried for a bank and left an easy shot, and Roberts ran 3 to take a 6-0 lead. Thorpe made a cross corner bank with the ball past the side and one more, then hung a ball. Roberts rolled it in and now led, 6-3. Thorpe then made three long rail banks in succession (!) to tie the score at 6-6. Roberts pocketed a high speed long railer to take a 7-6 lead, but Thorpe tied the score with a super thin cross table cut. Roberts nearly made a tough long rail bank, Thorpe failed to take it out, and Roberts made a long shot to win game 1.
Thorpe played a super three rail kick to escape a trap, but then left a shot on a subsequent turn and Roberts ran four, then hung a ball - and Thorpe made it, so Roberts now led, 5-0. Thorpe rolled home a cross over long railer and ran four more to tie the score at 5-5. Roberts erred and left Thorpe with a long shot, and he made it and two more to win game 2, 8-5. The score: 1-1.
Thorpe misplayed a safety and Roberts made one, but was unable to play shape. So he sold out and left Thorpe with a runnable table and he took advantage with a six ball run before missing an easy shot! But he not led, 6-1. Roberts countered with a bank and a long shot off the end rail, then ran two more before missing. He now trailed, 6-5. But Roberts rebounded with a long rail bank to tie the score. In a later turn he jawed a ball and Thorpe made a tough cross table cut, then made the ball for Roberts, so the score was 7-7. Roberts elevated off the rail and backcut a cross corner bank to win the game and take a 2-1 lead.
Roberts scratched on his break. Thorpe went for a three rail bank, missed, and left Roberts with a shot. He ran two before getting stuck on a ball. He now led, 1-0. Robert made a two rail bank into a carom (was it planned?) and ran seven and out to take a 3-1 lead.
Roberts fouled and then Thorpe got an open shot and quickly ran eight and out won win game 5 and close the margin to 3-2.
Thorpe got an opening on a reasonably well spread rack and ran seven balls before getting a bad roll when breaking a cluster. He took his time, then rolled in a fine combo to complete an eight and out, tying the match at 3-3!
Thorpe scratched on the break, but Roberts could only run two before running out of shots. He made a ball for Thorpe and now led, 2-1. Thorpe fouled, so Roberts lead returned to 2-0. Thorpe went for a kick/combo, but missed. Roberts ran two and removed a ball from in front of Thorpe’s pocket. Roberts now led. 4-0, but he scratched on a subsequent turn and now led, 3-0. Thorpe took ball-in-hand and missed – perhaps because he was worried about drawing back for position. But he fortunately was handed a shot on his next turn, ran two, and now trailed, 3-2. He then made another ball and tied the score at 3-3. At this point all nine balls were behind the head string. Thorpe made a bank and went ahead. 4-3. Thorpe made a ball, then a long rail bank to lead, 6-3. Another long railer put Thorpe on the hill. After Roberts went for a bank, he left Thorpe with a long shot, which he made to win the game, and the match.
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Match 14
Bustamante sold out on a safety and Pagulayan ran two before coming up empty on a cluster break. Pagulayan barely missed bank and left Bustamante an open table. He ran three and made one for Pagulayan, so the score was now 3-3. Pagulayan made a long rail bank, then completed a run of five and out to take a 1-0 lead.
Pagulayan played a soft kick safety, but left a shot. Bustamante made only one, then left a bank in front of his hole and Pagulayan kicked it in. Bustamante now led, 2-0. Pagulayan softly kicked in another ball for Bustamante, who now led, 3-0. Bustamante lost a ball with an intentional foul. Bustamante missed a bank and left a shot. Pagulayan only made two before missing a combo. Bustamante open with a softly struck combo and went on to run six and out. The match was now tied at 1-1.
Pagulayan made a ball, then took a foul. Bustamante made a bank, then played safe. Bustamante fouled. He led, 0 to -1. Pagulayan took another foul. 0 to -2. Bustamante left a ball in front of Alex’s pocket. Pagulayan made him pay for his mistake with a run of TEN and OUT! He now led in the match, 2-1.
Pagulayan made one for Bustamante, who opened his next turn with a bank, then went on to complete a run of seven and out. 2-2.
Pagulayan broke and left a ball in his pocket – which is ideal in this format where the balls are broken over if a ball goes on the break. Pagulayan miscued after stroking with a ton of body english, and Bustamante ran four, then lost his chance for eight and out on an open table when he missed position. He made a ball in front of Alex’s pocket, then, after Alex hung a bank in the jaws, Bustamante made another ball for him, so he now led. 4-2. Bustamante made a thin cut down the rail and another ball, then missed the gamewinning bank. He how led, 7-2. Alex took the ball out, but left Bustamante an easy cross corner bank and he made it to win the game, 8-2. He also took a 3-2 lead in the match.
Pagulayan scratched on an aggressive safety (he was super unlucky) and was now at -2. Bustamante ran four, but failed to get shape and missed a long rail bank. Pagulayan missed a bank and left a shot, and Bustamante ran four and out to win the match, 4 games to 2.
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Match 15
Reyes broke, and after a few turns he ran several balls and took a 4-0 lead. Van Boening left Reyes with a bank and he made it, then missed a long shot. Reyes, 5-0. Van Boening found a carom in the stack, made it, and a one more before executing a precise cluster break. He ran two more, but was forced to play safe. The score was now tied at 5-5. Reyes rolled a long cross table bank in front of his pocket. Van Boening attempted a long thin cut, missed it and scratched. Reyes now led, 5-4. Reyes tried a double bank (!?) and missed it badly. Reyes made combo/bank and ran out.
With the win in this game, Reyes has qualified for the finals.
Reyes kicked and committed a foul. Reyes made an unreal bank into a carom and one more ball to take a 1-0 lead, then went ahead 2-0 when Van Boening pocketed a ball in front of Reyes’ pocket. Reyes missed an easy shot and left Van Boening with a shot. He ran eight and out to tie the match at 1-1. Van Boening needs to win one more game to make the finals.
Reyes made a ball in front of Van Boening’s pocket. Van Boening gambled on a bank and left Reyes with a shot. Efren ran three, then opened the stack and made two more to take a 6-1 lead. Reyes played safe and sold – Van Boening made a ball but created a combo by mistake, and then made it!
“That’s a pool shot,” said Incardona after Van Boening played super shape to the end rail! He concluded his run with a bank and won the game, 8-6. He also earned a place in the finals!
Reyes opened the scoring with a bank/combo and one more to take a 2-0 lead. Van Boening got a shot and slammed into the pack, but ran only 3 to take a 3-2 lead. He did hang a ball, however, and Reyes made it for him. Van Boening, 4-2. Van Boening slammed in a bank and drew to the rail and back across the table for position! He made the next ball, missed a tough shot, and went to his chair with a 6-2 advantage. Reyes made a super long combo and one more and now trailed, 6-4. Van Boening speared in a cross table cut, crossed the table twice and got on the gamewinner. Van Boening leads in the match, 3-1.
Van Boening left Reyes with a shot and he ran three, made a bank, and four more – for a run of eight and out. The score is now Van Boening 3, Reyes 2.
Reyes took an intentional foul. Reyes hung a long rail bank and Van Boening made it, returning the score to 0-0. Reyes found a backwards dead ball and broke the rack like it was a game of 8-Ball. He ran five and now lead, 5-1. Van Boening miss hit a curve shot and took a ball out of his pocket. Reyes ran two, then played safe. Reyes kicked in a hanger for Van Boening and his lead was now 7-2. Van Boening made a bank, four more balls, then overcut the game winning bank. The score was now 7-7. Reyes hit a bank poorly, scratched in the side, and Van Boening made a spot shot to win the match, 4-2.
Van Boening wins the Round Robin with a record of 4-1.
Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante tied at 3-2, but Reyes advances with more games won (15 to 14).
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Finals
SHANE VAN BOENING 4 EFREN REYES 2
Reyes won the lag and broke poorly. Van Boening made a bank combo and one more, then played safe. Reyes missed a bank and left Van Boening with a shot. Van Boening scratched in the far corner on a draw shot. Van Boening 2, Reyes 0. Reyes made one, then missed a combo. Reyes hung a bank and left a cut shot. Van Boening made it, but stuck on the rack. He kicked in the ball in front of Reyes pocket. Van Boening led, 3-2. Reyes made a backcut bank, broke a cluster and made a ball for Van Boening, and completed a run of six and out.
Reyes left Van Boening a shot and he ran four but failed to play shape. Reyes made a long rail bank, then jerked during his stroke and missed. Van Boening now led, 4-1. He had an easy shot to begin with and he ran four and out to tie the match at 1-1.
Van Boening played safe, but sold out an easy shot. Reyes had a golden opportunity, but he only ran four, then sold out. Van Boening ran one, but froze on a ball with no shot. He tried a kick, but left a shot. Reyes, who was ahead, 4-1, ran four and out to take a 2-1 lead.
Van Boening made a long shot and ran three more before missing when jacked up. On his next turn he made a bank and ran three more to win the game, 8-0. The match was now tied at 2-2.
Van Boening made a ball for Reyes. He then fouled and Reyes now led, 1 to -1. Van Boening opened with a long back cut, then ran eight more for a superbly played run of nine and out! He now led, 3 games to 2.
Reyes struck first with a cross table long rail bank. Reyes kicked and fouled, and the score went back to 0-0. Reyes hung a bank and he left Van Boening with a single shot, so he made the ball for Reyes. 1-1. Reyes found a dead ball and he blasted the rack wide open – but only ran three, then jawed a bank. He left Van Boening with a hanger and he ran five and then made one for Reyes. Van Boening led 6-5. On his next turn he made a long railer to reach championship point leading 7-5. Reyes tried for a bank, scratched, and Van Boening made an easy shot with ball-in-hand to win the match, 4-2.
SPONSORSHIP
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COVERAGE
Coverage will be provided by Phil Capelle.
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