We're back with today's schedule of games, getting off to a late start due to spider problems in the locker rooms. That distraction aside, we begin with...
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Easter. Two longtime captains get the day going with the red cue for 9-ball. Boston's Patches played a fairly strong game to keep Todavía's Easter under control in game 1, eventually making two in a row at the end to take a 1-0 lead. The Stills' Easter got away with one in game 2, tying the series at 1 after Patches couldn't make legal contact on the 2, instead striking the 4, which caromed the cue for a scratch and took the 9 to the bottom right illegally for the loss. The Swifts' Patches took the series 2-1 with a game 3 win, turning dominant in the second half of the game with a four-ball run and a tap-in on the 9 after Easter missed it. Ranked #116 for 9-ball, Patches will face Web City Spiders superstar Rainmane in the bracket quarterfinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Chimpy v. Stealth. The silver cue gets its day started with 12-ball. Swordpoint's Stealth stepped up big after a massive start by Modernistic's Chimpy, chipping away in the later stages and using savvy positioning to come from way back for a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Stealth kept the momentum up in game 2, never really giving the Union's Chimpy a chance to catch up as Stealth took an easy win for a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 was a little less intense, with nothing on the line, and Stealth came out with the sweep after a mid-game scratch helped him get an anchoring shot to set everything else up, taking 3-0 series win over Chimpy. Ranked #128 for 12-ball, Stealth faces Southern Monarchs rookie Kirstin in the bracket quarterfinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sierra v. Niki. The silver cue stays at the table to finish its 7-ball obligations for the round. Todavía's Sierra waited for Eastside's Niki to make a mistake in game 1, and that moment came on the 6, which she got bad position on and couldn't cut in, allowing a two-ball run-out for Sierra to put her up 1-0. The Stills' Sierra took a more direct approach in game 2, running out the final four balls to clinch the series at 2-0 after the Sharks' Niki looked a bit shaky. In game 3, things were slightly more even, but late mistakes from Niki cost her the game as Sierra wrapped things up on a 3-0 series win. Ranked #105 for 7-ball, Sierra is set to play against Blizzard of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Jasmine v. Stinky. The two core players of the Cascades go at it in an intra-team set of 9-ball with the blue cue. Jasmine got the win in game 1 despite a weak effort, surrendering a four-ball run to Stinky that ended with a miss on the 9 that Jasmine cleaned up for her 1-0 lead in the series. Stinky bounced back to capitalize on Jasmine's scratch in game 2, which he used as a catalyst for a double-pot of the 6 and 8 in the bottom right on a follow shot, followed by a sharp cut on the 9 to tie the series at 1. Stinky took the series when Jasmine illegally hit the 6, lining up and converting a 2-9 combination to the bottom right for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #119 in 9-ball, Stinky is set to play Kelly of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Easter. Two decorated veteran square off for 10-ball with the silver cue. Queens' Crystal had control at the start of the game, but lost it late, with Todavía's Easter emerging with a four-ball run-out to take a 1-0 lead in the series after a strong showing late. The Stills' Easter upped her game in game 2, topping the Flames' Crystal again, but with a five-ball run-out this time, beginning with a 5-8 combination to the top right and ending on a tough cut on the 10 to the bottom right for a 2-0 lead. Crystal did not waste time in avoiding a sweep, winning game 3 on a seven-ball run-out, displaying wonderful accuracy and positioning to make it a 2-1 win for Easter. The #125 ranked 10-ball player, Easter will face Jasmine of the Freedom Cascades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Slinks v. Americus. The game remains 10-ball, but the blue cue is in play. Atlantic's Americus got a second chance at the 10 in game 1 after flubbing the first, only because Harrison's Slinks rattled it out of the bottom left to let Americus tap it in and go up 1-0 in the series. The Specters' Slinks tied it at 1 in the series with a game 2 win on a five-ball run-out, stunning the Pirates' Americus with a classical finish, banking the 10 off the bottom rail to the top side. Americus left no doubt in game 3, winning on a seven-ball run-out fueled by pinpoint accuracy to take the series 2-1. Americus, ranked #124 for 10-ball, will next face Paps of the Pronger Tridents in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Niki. Two inexperienced players make up the last silver cue 12-ball series of the round. Golden's Charlton got a bit of luck in game 1, as Eastside's Niki missed contact on her last ball. Charlton banked the 5 to the top side and ran out a total of three balls to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Pilots' Charlton edged ahead on a late run, capitalizing on better position than what the Sharks' Niki had, and Charlton's win clinched the series for her at 2-0. Charlton struggled early in game 3, letting Niki line up her last shots, but Charlton cued a four-ball run-out to steal the game. The first shot was a cut on the 4 to the bottom left. She followed with a shot on the 1 to the top right, and then a hard angle shot on the 7 that caromed off the 13 to drop in the top left. Finally, she cut from a brutal angle the 2 into the top side for a 3-0 series win. Charlton, ranked #118 in 12-ball, will oppose Shannon of the Southern Monarchs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Noelle. The red cue returns to action in 15-ball. Central's Noelle pulled a shocker in game 1, topping Capital City's Chris on a five-ball run-out that saw Noelle use the 10 to pot the 14 and 12 on combinations before pulling off a wicked cut to pot it in the top left. Noelle then banked the 13 to the top side off the bottom rail, in perfect position to sink the 15 to go up 1-0 in a crazy finish. The Sharpshooters' Chris pulled level with the Warriors' Noelle on a fluky shot, as his miss on the 6 sent the cue off the 11 and directly to the 15 at the top left, good enough for a 1-1 equalizer in game 2. Chris surged ahead at the end of game 3, winning with a four-ball run-out that included a tough cut on the 12 to the top right and a double-pot of the 15 and 14 on a follow shot to the bottom right, giving him a 2-1 series win. Chris, ranked #118 in 15-ball, will play Tysini Hummingbirds rookie Charli XCX in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Snowball. The silver cue finishes its first round 10-ball obligations in this series. Pronger's Precious did much of the positive play in game 1, but Swordpoint's Snowball made it easier for Precious to win, lining up a 9-10 combination to the bottom right that the host converted for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball played a little stronger in game 2, and it ended up being enough to top the Tridents' Precious in an even game, making it 1-1 in the series. Snowball took the series 2-1 after a bold finish in game 3, pulling off a difficult cut on the 10 to vanquish Precious. Ranked #130 for 10-ball, Snowball is set to play against Roxy of the Freedom Cascades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Debby Ryan. The red cue will be done with 12-ball after this series. In game 1, Victoria's Chapman forced Southridge's Debby into removing her defense sooner than she would have liked, and Chapman exposed the vulnerability to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw the Spurs' Chapman exchange a late wild card ball with the Defenders' Debby, but Chapman came out on top when she ran out her last three balls to clinch the series at 2-0 through good setup work. Debby took game 3, working around the more methodical Brooke to get across the table from right to left to make it a 2-1 series. Ranked #114 for 12-ball, Brooke will shoot against Bright of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Ms. Kitty. Two of the elder members of the league square off for Rotation with the blue cue in the rural southeast. Golden's Dusty shot a dominant game 1, beginning with a four-ball run and smothering Pacific's Ms. Kitty on defense to take the game 8-1 and pull to a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 had a much more back and forth feel, and the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty got the best of that, taking the 8-6 win over the Pilots' Dusty to tie the series at 1. Dusty broke free in game 6 on a six-ball run-out to claim an 8-3 victory, taking the series 2-1 over Ms. Kitty. Dusty is ranked #101 in Rotation, and will oppose Crystal of the Queens Flames in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Hoot v. Snowball. The Swordpoint captain Snowball looks to vanquish another Trident, this time with the red cue for 9-ball, the last such match in this round. Pronger's Hoot took game 1 on a bank of the 9 from the top rail to the bottom side, such as Swordpoint's Snowball left it, giving Hoot the 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball tied the series at 1 with a game 2 win, scoring a three-ball run-out after the Tridents' Hoot had a very strong start to the game. Game 3 stayed pretty even throughout, and it fell to Hoot to finish it off with a tough cut, which he made to the bottom right for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #115 in 9-ball, Hoot will next oppose Ice Cream of the Commerce Tradewinds in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Boots. The red cue is back for Rotation in this series. Southridge's Boots struck quickly for a four-ball run early in the game, and coasted to an 8-2 win in the end over Everton's Goldy, taking a 1-0 series lead in the process thanks to the hot start. The Eagles' Goldy benefited from a surprisingly stingy call by the referee late in game 2, calling Boots of the Defenders for illegal contact. Goldy made the final shot for an 8-4 win, tying the series at 1 after a blistering six-ball run at the start of the game. Goldy straight up gave away game 3, at one point leading 7-2 before a string of unfortunate shots, misses, and errors allowed Boots to cobble a four-ball run to tie the game and win it on her next turn after missed contact. With the 2-1 series win, Boots advances to the bracket quarterfinals on her #131 ranked bid, matching up with Noelle of the Central Warriors.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Bryant. The silver cue is up for its last 8-ball series this round. Tysini's Bright ended up taking game 1 very narrowly, answering a five-ball run from Maplewood's Bryant with a four-ball run of his own to keep things even through the middle parts of the game before getting ahead of the visitor and going up 1-0 in the series. The Hummingbirds' Bright took a very hot start in game 2 and turned it into another win, moving to 2-0 in the series by playing much faster than the Lumberjacks' Bryant, who did have a three-ball run cancelled by Bright's three-ball run-out for the win. Game 3 was nothing special, although Bright did manage a three-ball run-out at the end to earn a 3-0 sweep for the series win. Ranked #101 in 8-ball, Bright will oppose Ms. Kitty of the Pacific Volcanoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: J. Garcia v. Kavan. The blue cue is up again for Rotation, finishing off its obligations in that event. Southridge's Garcia was down to her last gasp before rattling off a four-ball run-out in game 1, stunning Victoria's Kavan as she won 8-7 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Garcia did it again, watching the Spurs' Kavan score a six-ball run early on, only to tie the game with a four-ball run of her own. The two jockeyed late in the game until Garcia emerged with an 8-7 win again for a 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Kavan turned the tables on Garcia, running six balls late to snatch an 8-7 win to make it a 2-1 series win for Garcia. The #101 ranked Rotation player, Garcia is set to face Watermelon of the Pearl Surfers for her bracket quarterfinals match.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Spirit. The last team to make an appearance is the Lighton Prestige, with their representative Spirit doing the honors to start their season with the silver cue in Accuracy. Lighton's Spirit took game 1 confidently, defeating Southern's Panda 1-3 in a very accurately shot game for a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 looked like a repeat of game 1, with Spirit of the Prestige again winning 1-3, as Panda of the Monarchs played well but not well enough to hold off a legendary player. Game 3 reached overtime after a rough end of regulation, but Spirit again scored a win by a 3-4 score to sweep the series 3-0. Ranked #132 in Accuracy, Spirit next opposes Ms. Puppy of the Modernistic Union in the bracket quarterfinals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: J. Garcia v. Spirit. The last two series winners get the last batch of blue cue 9-ball this round, and they also end the evening. Southridge's Garcia struck late in game 1 to go up 1-0 over Lighton's Spirit, who left the 9 just short at the bottom right, a critical miss. In game 2, it was more of the same for the Prestige's Spirit, who again faltered when it came time for the 9, allowing another easy tap-in for Garcia to move to 2-0 in the series for the Defenders. Garcia did nearly all the work in game 3, winning while dominating possession to take a 3-0 series win. The #98 ranked 9-ball player, Garcia will face Sydney Sierota of the Harrison Specters in the bracket quarterfinals.
That felt nice, playing a heavier load of games today. Tomorrow's goal is to wrap up the round, but there's no guarantee, and it could spill over into Sunday, where it's likely to battle for time with the SCL.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Pool: 2016 B-level First Round - Day 4
Another slate of games is ready to go, beginning with...
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Sparkles. The first set of the day is 12-ball with the blue cue. Sparkles of Todavía took game 1 with a strong start and just enough of a finish to hold off a four-ball run by Diamond's Smokey to lay claim to a 1-0 series lead. Smokey of the Gems played better in game 2, scoring a four-ball run-out capped by a tough angle shot on the 6 to the top side that secured the win to tie the series at 1 with the Stills' Sparkles, who suffered from a poor break. In game 3, The players jockeyed at the bottom left for their last balls, but Smokey came up with the win for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #91 in 12-ball, Smokey will face Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Dusky. The red cue gets going today with a set of Accuracy. Archtown's Dusky got off to a slow start, but Tysini's Princess faded late, and the score favored Dusky 3-4 as she went ahead 1-0 in the series. Princess of the Hummingbirds returned the favor in game 2, winning 3-5 over the Arrows' Dusky after allowing the score to be tied before making a strong final push that tied the series at 1. Dusky bounced back with a big win in game 3, winning 1-5 as Princess let things get quite out of hand, allowing Dusky to take the series 2-1. Ranked #122 for Accuracy, Dusky will oppose Zach of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket quarterfinals.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Snuggle. The new facility in Victoria opens with a series of 7-ball and the blue cue. Oceanside's Snuggle rained on the first game in the new hall, pulling off a carom-bank, with the 3 ricocheting the cue to the 7, which banked off the left rail en route to the top right for a 1-0 series lead over Victoria's Chapman. Snuggle clinched the series for the Waves in game 2, going 2-0 up by sinking the 1 in the bottom side and the 7 in the top left off the break to prevent the Spurs' Chapman from getting a chance at the game. Game 3 was all Chapman, as she found the highlight reel with a remarkable spin-kick on the 2 to the top side from a bad angle, and she later mopped up the 7 when Snuggle missed it to make it a 2-1 series. Snuggle, the #117 ranked 7-ball player, will oppose Starlight of the Pacific Volcanoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Cowzart v. Cleo. The game is still 7-ball, but with the red cue this time. The Pearl newcomer, Cowzart, took a fairly evenly matched game 1 with a slight surge at the end to move to a 1-0 lead over Everton's Cleo. The Surfers' Cowzart took game 2 in a more convincing fashion, running out the final three balls as the Eagles' Cleo couldn't keep her late run going, clinching the series for Cowzart at 2-0. In game 3, Cowzart saw a three-ball run answered by Cleo's three-ball run-out to salvage a game in the series, making it 2-1. Ranked #123 for 7-ball, Cowzart next plays Noelle of the Central Warriors in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Bear. This 9-ball series, played with the silver cue, is another installment of the Industrial Derby between the two small urban core communities. Commerce's Lionel struck first, as he dominated possession in game 1, running three balls from the break and a four-ball run-out at the end to take a 1-0 series lead over Whitewater's Bear. The Tradewinds' Lionel clinched the series at 2-0 with another dominant win in game 2, as it's clear the Shores' Bear was severely outplayed in this series. Bear looked to have a chance in game 3, but his 5-9 combination to the top right ended in a scratch at the bottom right, costing him the game as Lionel took the series 3-0. Ranked #117 for 9-ball, Lionel will face Bear's sister and Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Missy in the bracket quarterfinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Kelly v. Zach. The two new faces for the Meteors battle in 10-ball with the blue cue for an intra-team series. Kelly got the best of a tenacious Zach in game 1, as he ended a three-ball run with a bad miss on the 10 that Kelly picked up for a 1-0 series lead. Kelly laid claim to the series with a game 2 win, dominating possession in the end as Zach couldn't corral the 10 on his one chance at it. Zach did himself in for game 3, scratching after trying to get position after the 8, allowing Kelly two easy shots to take the series 3-0. Ranked #114 for 10-ball, Kelly is set to play Delila of the Atlantic Pirates in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Strawberry v. Lionel. The last 15-ball series with the blue cue is coming from the eastern hills region right now. Game 1 started and ended poorly for Pronger's Strawberry, and despite a good middle stretch, Commerce's Lionel came out of the game with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Tridents' Strawberry came up much more confident in game 2, finishing on a four-ball run-out coming off of a series of poor misses by the Tradewinds' Lionel, which helped to tie the series at 1. Strawberry ended game 3 early, bringing the crowd to a roar with a two-rail bank of the 6 off the top and bottom rails to the top side, while the follow-through by the cue drove the 15 to the bottom side, winning the game on a double-pot that made it 2-1 in the series. Ranked #109, Strawberry gets a match with Mr. Snowman of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket quarterfinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Snowball. We stay in the east for Accuracy with the silver cue. Swordpoint's Snowball did a good job of keeping the game even, forcing overtime, where Atlantic's Delila had a narrow miss early, costing her the 3-4 game and putting the series at 1-0 Snowball. The Pirates' Delila played smart in game 2, but neither player looked great. Delila eventually forced overtime, but couldn't put the Blades' Snowball away early. Instead, it took about half the extra rack for Delila to emerge with a 7-8 victory to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Delila started slow but ended up burying Snowball 3-6 for a 2-1 series win as Snowball fell apart around the middle of the game. The #121 ranked Accuracy shooter, Delila will next oppose Kavan of the Victoria Spurs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue stays at the table for more Accuracy. The Harrison rookie Sydney did wonderfully in the game, playing a perfect sequence to take a 0-2 win for a 1-0 series lead over Pearl's Watermelon. The Surfers' Watermelon tied the series at 1 with a much sloppier game, winning game 2 by a score of 5-6 over the Specters' Sydney. Game 3 left no doubt for Sydney, as she dominated her way to a 2-7 win for a 2-1 series win, beating a punchless Watermelon, who scratched twice early. Sydney, ranked #131 for Accuracy, will face Puff III of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Midnight. The blue cue returns to play 7-ball. Game 1 went in unremarkable fashion, and Queens' Max lost it late by leaving the 7 short for Westside's Midnight to tap in for a 1-0 series lead in an even game. Game 2 saw a lot of possession from the Rockers' Midnight, but it all went for naught when she missed the 7, allowing the Flames' Max to convert his second chance to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Midnight scratched to end a three-ball run, allowing Max to make the last two balls, taking the game and the series 2-1. Max, ranked #111 for 7-ball, will oppose Spirit of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Gabe. The game is again 7-ball, but with the silver cue. Boston's Puff II took game 1 after a miss on the 6 by Infinity's Gabe left her with a pair of favorable shots to spark a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Puff II clinched the series in game 2, lying in wait for most of the game until the Torpedoes' Gabe missed on the 3, offering Puff II a chance to score a four-ball run-out to move to a 2-0 series lead. Puff II completed the sweep in game 3, having a good start but fading to an even game later on, but Gabe had no finishing touch, allowing Puff II to walk away up 3-0. Puff II, ranked #106 for 7-ball, faces Gabe's Torpedoes teammates in the bracket quarterfinals, playing against the Infinity captain Smudge.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. Puff II. The afternoon ends with Rotation and the blue cue, pitting players who excel in volume and efficiency in the B-level against each other. Boston's Puff II turned on the jets late in the game, pulling ahead on one three-ball run before turning in a three-ball run-out to win 8-4 in game 1, going 1-0 over Royal's Frosty. The Swifts' Puff II nearly pushed the Crowns' Frosty to the edge in game 2, and Frosty roared back just in time, working a five-ball run-out for an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Things stayed even early in game 3, but Frosty broke out for a four-ball run-out, taking the game 8-4 and the series 2-1. Ranked #103 in Rotation, Frosty faces Shelley of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Fluffina. The final series of 7-ball with the blue cue leads off the short evening. Tysini's Leandra drew first blood, winning a fairly close game 1 over Maplewood's Fluffina after the latter couldn't quite convert on the 6, making it 1-0 for the host in the series. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina shot back in game 2, tying the series at 1 by winning the game despite a sloppy finish that saw Leandra of the Hummingbirds also miss the 7 twice. Fluffina took the series 2-1, controlling the start and end of game 3, which saw her weather a three-ball run from Leandra that ended in a scratch. Fluffina, ranked #121 for 7-ball, faces Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Shadow. The next set is 8-ball with the silver cue. Web City's Shadow popped up in game 1 with a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead, as Archtown's Sally made the mistake of leaving the 8 short at the top side, which she never got a second chance at. Game 2 had a wild ending, with the Spiders' Shadow scratching, allowing the Arrows' Sally to kick the 12 into the top side and then bury the 15 to the top left. She shot the 8, and made that to the top right, but she put too much on the shot and scratched, giving Shadow the win for a 2-0 series lead. Sally did get a game, winning game 3 in pretty confident form, as Shadow never had much of a chance in the final stanza. Shadow still took the series 2-1, and his #119 ranked 8-ball bid will face his girlfriend, Shaggy of the Southridge Defenders, in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Gabe v. Dani. The red cue gets in on the action with a bit of 12-ball from the southwest. Infinity's Gabe did just enough to keep the table cluttered in game 1, frustrating Dani of Capital City just enough for her to remove her minor defense, allowing Gabe to finish on a three-ball run-out with relative ease for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 followed a more classical, cerebral style, with Dani of the Sharpshooters battling wits just slightly better than the Torpedoes' Gabe, using defense to overcome giving away a wild card ball until she picked up the win to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Dani overcame another wild card ball, executing a stellar five-ball run-out after working to get everything set up while also keeping Gabe's shots to the perimeter. Dani, ranked #131, faces Gabe's Torpedoes teammate, Shelley, in the bracket quarterfinals after this 2-1 series win.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Bear. Two captains battle in 10-ball with the silver cue. Bear dominated possession in game 1 for Whitewater, eventually picking up the win to make it a 1-0 series, with a five-ball run-out earning the victory. Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman made a mark too, shooting a jump shot over the 6 to pot the 3 in the top right. The Meteors' Mr. Snowman tied it in game 2, making it a 1-1 series with a wonderful ending. Mr. Snowman kicked the cue off the right and top rails to graze the 9 to the top side, before depositing the 10 in the top right to pull even with the Shores' Bear. Mr. Snowman regretted his failed 6-10 combination attempt in game 3, as it set Bear up to carom the 10 into the top right off the 6, making it a 2-1 series win for the visitor. Ranked #126 in 10-ball, Bear will advance to face Graham of the Eastside Sharks in the bracket quarterfinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Cubby. The final series of the night is 10-ball with the blue cue. Maplewood's Cubby took a very tight game 1 to take a 1-0 lead over Atlantic's Amber, showing poise on his late shots to collect the 9 and 10, contrasted with Amber's more aggressive approach. The Pirates' Amber tied the series at 1 in game 2, sending the 2 into the mixer, where it bounced off the 5, 7, and 10 and eventually potted the 10 into its called pocket, the bottom right for the equalizer. Game 3 was flat out sloppy, no better exemplified than in Amber's short miss on the 10, which allowed the Lumberjacks' Cubby to mop up the shot for a win and a 2-1 series win. Ranked #120 for 10-ball, Cubby will oppose Debby Ryan of the Southridge Defenders in the bracket quarterfinals.
I apologize for no SCL this morning, as I had a bout of unexpected laziness. The SCL is a tough competition to get behind, so the playoffs could run a bit longer than I anticipated. It won't be played tomorrow, for sure, so only pool is on the schedule.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Sparkles. The first set of the day is 12-ball with the blue cue. Sparkles of Todavía took game 1 with a strong start and just enough of a finish to hold off a four-ball run by Diamond's Smokey to lay claim to a 1-0 series lead. Smokey of the Gems played better in game 2, scoring a four-ball run-out capped by a tough angle shot on the 6 to the top side that secured the win to tie the series at 1 with the Stills' Sparkles, who suffered from a poor break. In game 3, The players jockeyed at the bottom left for their last balls, but Smokey came up with the win for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #91 in 12-ball, Smokey will face Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Dusky. The red cue gets going today with a set of Accuracy. Archtown's Dusky got off to a slow start, but Tysini's Princess faded late, and the score favored Dusky 3-4 as she went ahead 1-0 in the series. Princess of the Hummingbirds returned the favor in game 2, winning 3-5 over the Arrows' Dusky after allowing the score to be tied before making a strong final push that tied the series at 1. Dusky bounced back with a big win in game 3, winning 1-5 as Princess let things get quite out of hand, allowing Dusky to take the series 2-1. Ranked #122 for Accuracy, Dusky will oppose Zach of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket quarterfinals.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Snuggle. The new facility in Victoria opens with a series of 7-ball and the blue cue. Oceanside's Snuggle rained on the first game in the new hall, pulling off a carom-bank, with the 3 ricocheting the cue to the 7, which banked off the left rail en route to the top right for a 1-0 series lead over Victoria's Chapman. Snuggle clinched the series for the Waves in game 2, going 2-0 up by sinking the 1 in the bottom side and the 7 in the top left off the break to prevent the Spurs' Chapman from getting a chance at the game. Game 3 was all Chapman, as she found the highlight reel with a remarkable spin-kick on the 2 to the top side from a bad angle, and she later mopped up the 7 when Snuggle missed it to make it a 2-1 series. Snuggle, the #117 ranked 7-ball player, will oppose Starlight of the Pacific Volcanoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Cowzart v. Cleo. The game is still 7-ball, but with the red cue this time. The Pearl newcomer, Cowzart, took a fairly evenly matched game 1 with a slight surge at the end to move to a 1-0 lead over Everton's Cleo. The Surfers' Cowzart took game 2 in a more convincing fashion, running out the final three balls as the Eagles' Cleo couldn't keep her late run going, clinching the series for Cowzart at 2-0. In game 3, Cowzart saw a three-ball run answered by Cleo's three-ball run-out to salvage a game in the series, making it 2-1. Ranked #123 for 7-ball, Cowzart next plays Noelle of the Central Warriors in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Bear. This 9-ball series, played with the silver cue, is another installment of the Industrial Derby between the two small urban core communities. Commerce's Lionel struck first, as he dominated possession in game 1, running three balls from the break and a four-ball run-out at the end to take a 1-0 series lead over Whitewater's Bear. The Tradewinds' Lionel clinched the series at 2-0 with another dominant win in game 2, as it's clear the Shores' Bear was severely outplayed in this series. Bear looked to have a chance in game 3, but his 5-9 combination to the top right ended in a scratch at the bottom right, costing him the game as Lionel took the series 3-0. Ranked #117 for 9-ball, Lionel will face Bear's sister and Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Missy in the bracket quarterfinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Kelly v. Zach. The two new faces for the Meteors battle in 10-ball with the blue cue for an intra-team series. Kelly got the best of a tenacious Zach in game 1, as he ended a three-ball run with a bad miss on the 10 that Kelly picked up for a 1-0 series lead. Kelly laid claim to the series with a game 2 win, dominating possession in the end as Zach couldn't corral the 10 on his one chance at it. Zach did himself in for game 3, scratching after trying to get position after the 8, allowing Kelly two easy shots to take the series 3-0. Ranked #114 for 10-ball, Kelly is set to play Delila of the Atlantic Pirates in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Strawberry v. Lionel. The last 15-ball series with the blue cue is coming from the eastern hills region right now. Game 1 started and ended poorly for Pronger's Strawberry, and despite a good middle stretch, Commerce's Lionel came out of the game with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Tridents' Strawberry came up much more confident in game 2, finishing on a four-ball run-out coming off of a series of poor misses by the Tradewinds' Lionel, which helped to tie the series at 1. Strawberry ended game 3 early, bringing the crowd to a roar with a two-rail bank of the 6 off the top and bottom rails to the top side, while the follow-through by the cue drove the 15 to the bottom side, winning the game on a double-pot that made it 2-1 in the series. Ranked #109, Strawberry gets a match with Mr. Snowman of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket quarterfinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Snowball. We stay in the east for Accuracy with the silver cue. Swordpoint's Snowball did a good job of keeping the game even, forcing overtime, where Atlantic's Delila had a narrow miss early, costing her the 3-4 game and putting the series at 1-0 Snowball. The Pirates' Delila played smart in game 2, but neither player looked great. Delila eventually forced overtime, but couldn't put the Blades' Snowball away early. Instead, it took about half the extra rack for Delila to emerge with a 7-8 victory to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Delila started slow but ended up burying Snowball 3-6 for a 2-1 series win as Snowball fell apart around the middle of the game. The #121 ranked Accuracy shooter, Delila will next oppose Kavan of the Victoria Spurs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue stays at the table for more Accuracy. The Harrison rookie Sydney did wonderfully in the game, playing a perfect sequence to take a 0-2 win for a 1-0 series lead over Pearl's Watermelon. The Surfers' Watermelon tied the series at 1 with a much sloppier game, winning game 2 by a score of 5-6 over the Specters' Sydney. Game 3 left no doubt for Sydney, as she dominated her way to a 2-7 win for a 2-1 series win, beating a punchless Watermelon, who scratched twice early. Sydney, ranked #131 for Accuracy, will face Puff III of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Midnight. The blue cue returns to play 7-ball. Game 1 went in unremarkable fashion, and Queens' Max lost it late by leaving the 7 short for Westside's Midnight to tap in for a 1-0 series lead in an even game. Game 2 saw a lot of possession from the Rockers' Midnight, but it all went for naught when she missed the 7, allowing the Flames' Max to convert his second chance to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Midnight scratched to end a three-ball run, allowing Max to make the last two balls, taking the game and the series 2-1. Max, ranked #111 for 7-ball, will oppose Spirit of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Gabe. The game is again 7-ball, but with the silver cue. Boston's Puff II took game 1 after a miss on the 6 by Infinity's Gabe left her with a pair of favorable shots to spark a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Puff II clinched the series in game 2, lying in wait for most of the game until the Torpedoes' Gabe missed on the 3, offering Puff II a chance to score a four-ball run-out to move to a 2-0 series lead. Puff II completed the sweep in game 3, having a good start but fading to an even game later on, but Gabe had no finishing touch, allowing Puff II to walk away up 3-0. Puff II, ranked #106 for 7-ball, faces Gabe's Torpedoes teammates in the bracket quarterfinals, playing against the Infinity captain Smudge.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. Puff II. The afternoon ends with Rotation and the blue cue, pitting players who excel in volume and efficiency in the B-level against each other. Boston's Puff II turned on the jets late in the game, pulling ahead on one three-ball run before turning in a three-ball run-out to win 8-4 in game 1, going 1-0 over Royal's Frosty. The Swifts' Puff II nearly pushed the Crowns' Frosty to the edge in game 2, and Frosty roared back just in time, working a five-ball run-out for an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Things stayed even early in game 3, but Frosty broke out for a four-ball run-out, taking the game 8-4 and the series 2-1. Ranked #103 in Rotation, Frosty faces Shelley of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Fluffina. The final series of 7-ball with the blue cue leads off the short evening. Tysini's Leandra drew first blood, winning a fairly close game 1 over Maplewood's Fluffina after the latter couldn't quite convert on the 6, making it 1-0 for the host in the series. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina shot back in game 2, tying the series at 1 by winning the game despite a sloppy finish that saw Leandra of the Hummingbirds also miss the 7 twice. Fluffina took the series 2-1, controlling the start and end of game 3, which saw her weather a three-ball run from Leandra that ended in a scratch. Fluffina, ranked #121 for 7-ball, faces Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Shadow. The next set is 8-ball with the silver cue. Web City's Shadow popped up in game 1 with a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead, as Archtown's Sally made the mistake of leaving the 8 short at the top side, which she never got a second chance at. Game 2 had a wild ending, with the Spiders' Shadow scratching, allowing the Arrows' Sally to kick the 12 into the top side and then bury the 15 to the top left. She shot the 8, and made that to the top right, but she put too much on the shot and scratched, giving Shadow the win for a 2-0 series lead. Sally did get a game, winning game 3 in pretty confident form, as Shadow never had much of a chance in the final stanza. Shadow still took the series 2-1, and his #119 ranked 8-ball bid will face his girlfriend, Shaggy of the Southridge Defenders, in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Gabe v. Dani. The red cue gets in on the action with a bit of 12-ball from the southwest. Infinity's Gabe did just enough to keep the table cluttered in game 1, frustrating Dani of Capital City just enough for her to remove her minor defense, allowing Gabe to finish on a three-ball run-out with relative ease for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 followed a more classical, cerebral style, with Dani of the Sharpshooters battling wits just slightly better than the Torpedoes' Gabe, using defense to overcome giving away a wild card ball until she picked up the win to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Dani overcame another wild card ball, executing a stellar five-ball run-out after working to get everything set up while also keeping Gabe's shots to the perimeter. Dani, ranked #131, faces Gabe's Torpedoes teammate, Shelley, in the bracket quarterfinals after this 2-1 series win.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Bear. Two captains battle in 10-ball with the silver cue. Bear dominated possession in game 1 for Whitewater, eventually picking up the win to make it a 1-0 series, with a five-ball run-out earning the victory. Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman made a mark too, shooting a jump shot over the 6 to pot the 3 in the top right. The Meteors' Mr. Snowman tied it in game 2, making it a 1-1 series with a wonderful ending. Mr. Snowman kicked the cue off the right and top rails to graze the 9 to the top side, before depositing the 10 in the top right to pull even with the Shores' Bear. Mr. Snowman regretted his failed 6-10 combination attempt in game 3, as it set Bear up to carom the 10 into the top right off the 6, making it a 2-1 series win for the visitor. Ranked #126 in 10-ball, Bear will advance to face Graham of the Eastside Sharks in the bracket quarterfinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Cubby. The final series of the night is 10-ball with the blue cue. Maplewood's Cubby took a very tight game 1 to take a 1-0 lead over Atlantic's Amber, showing poise on his late shots to collect the 9 and 10, contrasted with Amber's more aggressive approach. The Pirates' Amber tied the series at 1 in game 2, sending the 2 into the mixer, where it bounced off the 5, 7, and 10 and eventually potted the 10 into its called pocket, the bottom right for the equalizer. Game 3 was flat out sloppy, no better exemplified than in Amber's short miss on the 10, which allowed the Lumberjacks' Cubby to mop up the shot for a win and a 2-1 series win. Ranked #120 for 10-ball, Cubby will oppose Debby Ryan of the Southridge Defenders in the bracket quarterfinals.
I apologize for no SCL this morning, as I had a bout of unexpected laziness. The SCL is a tough competition to get behind, so the playoffs could run a bit longer than I anticipated. It won't be played tomorrow, for sure, so only pool is on the schedule.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Pool: 2016 B-level First Round - Day 3
We return to action today with a hopefully full slate of games, beginning in...
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Cleo. The first series of the day features the silver cue in 9-ball. Sparkles of Todavía paced her attack with a four-ball run, but Cleo of Everton scored a three-ball run to make things interesting before missing the 9, allowing Sparkles to take game 1 for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sparkles had a three-ball run from the break in game 2, and allowed Cleo of the Eagles to do the rest, illegally striking the 5-9 combination to the bottom right for an automatic loss compounded by a scratch, allowing Sparkles to take the series at 2-0. Sparkles swept the series with a three-ball run-out in game 3 for a 3-0 series win. Ranked #120 for 9-ball, Sparkles will face fellow Oriental United club member and Cleo's Eagles teammate Goldy in the bracket quarterfinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Cheddar v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue gets another appearance, playing 8-ball for this series. Harrison's Sydney took game 1 on a three-ball run-out after Whitewater's Cheddar helped by potting her defensive ball while trying and failing to use a follow shot, giving Sydney the 1-0 lead in the series. Sydney also took game 2 for the Specters, working a strong attack with reasonable defense in the middle and late parts of the game, which worked to hold off the Shores' Cheddar as Sydney moved to 2-0 in the series. Sydney had to come from behind to complete the sweep, using a four-ball run-out in game 3 to stun Cheddar as she cruised to a 3-0 series win. Ranked #113 for 8-ball, Sydney faces fellow rookie Nikolai of the Freedom Cascades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Tigerette v. Jasmine. The silver cue continues with a battle between captains of historically poor teams in 12-ball. Freedom's Jasmine outplayed Commerce's Tigerette with a brilliant defensive posture that ultimately caused Tigerette to give the game away late, as she illegally potted a ball that set Jasmine up to tap her last shot in for a 1-0 series lead. Tigerette answered back for the Tradewinds in game 2, winning after the Cascades' Jasmine gave up two wild card balls to Tigerette, who then ran out her last four balls to make it a 1-1 series. Jasmine took game 3, but it was far from comfortable as Tigerette pressed her to the end before Jasmine finally broke through on a three-ball run-out for the win to make it a 2-1 series. Ranked #127 for 12-ball, Jasmine will oppose Blizzard of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Stinky. The red cue comes on for Rotation in this series. Freedom's Stinky took game 1 by an 8-7 score of Queens' Max, using a three-ball run-out keyed by Max missing the 13 on a long bank attempt to go up 1-0 in the series for the visitor. The Cascades' Stinky got all the bounces in game 2, winning 8-0 to shut out the Flames' Max with a few lucky shots that went for him and did not for his host. Stinky clinched the series at 2-0 with the win. Max made it a 2-1 series win for Stinky by taking game 3 by a score of 8-2, dominating thoroughly and making game 1 look all the more pivotal. Ranked #128 for Rotation, Stinky will face Everton Eagle Blizzard in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Strawberry v. Missy. The silver cue is back for this 7-ball series. Game 1 made very clear why both players are in the B-level part of the bracket. Capital City's Missy eventually potted the 7 to take a 1-0 series lead over Pronger's Strawberry, but the two combined to sink balls to only two pockets. Game 2 went much better, as Missy of the Sharpshooters scored a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0 over the Tridents' Strawberry in a cleaner game. Strawberry had an error late in game 3, which made things all the easier for Missy, who buried her chances as they appeared and won 3-0 in the series. The #127 ranked 7-ball player, Missy will face Brownie of the Harrison Specters in the bracket quarterfinals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Nicole v. Easter. This edition of the Spanish Derby features the red cue in 8-ball. Todavía's Easter forced Southern's Nicole into a bad error late in game 1, working some defense as her offense dried up that led to Nicole illegally potting the 8, putting Easter ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 involved less trickery by the Stills' Easter, as she simply out-muscled the Monarchs' Nicole to take the win and a 2-0 series lead. Easter again dominated in game 3, leaving Nicole with no chance after a late four-ball run halted by just the edge of the pocket, which turned into a tap-in on the 8 on her next turn as she claimed a 3-0 sweep for the series. Ranked #128 for 8-ball, Easter is set to match up against Dani of the Capital City Sharpshooters in the Bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Gabe v. Nightfur. The red cue gets another set for 9-ball this time. Infinity's Gabe took a 1-0 series lead, using a pair of three-ball runs to dominate possession against Royal's Nightfur in game 1. The Crowns' Nightfur answered the call in game 2, working against a much less accurate Gabe of the Torpedoes to strike down the last two balls and tie the series at 1 in a strong rebound effort. In game 3, the players exchanged mid-game misses, and this extended to a critical miss by Nightfur at the end that allowed Gabe to bury the 9 for a 2-1 series win. The #123 ranked 9-ball player, Gabe will face Nightfur's Crowns teammate Frosty in the bracket quarterfinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Charli. An experienced captain faces a rookie in 12-ball with the red cue. Oceanside's Snuggle started hot, but when he ran out of shots, Tysini's rookie Charli wasted little time in executing a five-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead in confident form. The Hummingbirds' Charli played a bit brash in game 2, surrendering three wild card balls (one was returned later) and still nearly overcoming it until a late missed contact set the Waves' Snuggle up to score a straight in shot for the win that tied the series at 1. Charli left no doubt in game 3, giving Snuggle no good shot as she shut him out for a 2-1 series lead. Ranked #129 in 12-ball, Charli will face Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Cubby. Two very muscular opponents duke it out in Rotation with the silver cue in the eastern hills. Maplewood's Cubby took game 1 in convincing form, winning 8-4 with a double-pot of the 14-15 from a combination off the 8, burying Nikolai of Freedom late in the game. The Cascades' Nikolai tied it in a very poor looking game 2, winning 8-3 only after frustrations between the giants boiled over and shot velocity took a steep increase, all due to the Lumberjacks' Cubby scratching while potting the 4. The series stands at 1-1. Frustrations remained in game 3, as Nikolai squandered a big lead early, but rebounded on a three-ball run-out to take the game 8-5 and the series 2-1. The #119 ranked Rotation player, Nikolai gets a set against Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sleepy B. v. Fluffina. The blue cue gets its first look of the day in 8-ball. Maplewood's Fluffina dominated in game 1, working an early 6-ball run and patiently waiting for Archtown's Sleepy B. to give her a good look to take of the remaining balls in the process of taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The Arrows' Sleepy B. fared no better in game 2, making more critical mistakes to ease the game along for the Lumberjacks' Fluffina, who won by a comfortable margin. Fluffina took the sweep in game 3 as Sleepy B. illegally potted the 8 for the loss to make it 3-0 in the series. Fluffina, ranked #130 for 8-ball, opposes Nightfur of the Royal Crowns in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Shawn. The night session sees 10-ball with the red cue find its first round finale. Everton's Blizzard struck with a three-ball run-out in game 1 to top an error-prone Shawn of Swordpoint for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Shawn took game 2 with a three-ball run-out himself, ending early on an 8-10 combination to the bottom right to tie the series at 1 with the Eagles' Blizzard. In game 3, Blizzard bounced back to get the win and take the series 2-1. Ranked #102 for 10-ball, Blizzard is set to play against Wings of the Pearl Surfers in the bracket quarterfinals.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Niki. The Eastside Sharks rookie travels to the big city for her debut against a determined veteran in 8-ball with the silver cue. Eastside's Niki won her first ever game, using a six-ball run around mid-game to pace the attack against Royal's Jake, eventually leading to simple shots at the end for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake bounced back in game 2, working around the Sharks' Niki, who helped Jake out with two of his balls being potted on her shots, as the series moved to a 1-1 tie. Niki ended up with a 2-1 series win, running five balls early and sinking the 8 with a two-rail bank to the bottom left to avoid Jake's strong defenses for the game 3 win. Ranked #114 in 8-ball, Niki will oppose Goatee of the Westside Rockers in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Noelle. The red cue returns for this 9-ball series. Central's Noelle took game 1 after Everton's Puff III left the 9 short at the top right, easy pickings for the seasoned veteran of last year's elite northeastern squad. Game 2 was a tad shaky for both sides, with the Eagles' Puff III stabilizing slightly quicker, in time to pull out a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1 with the Warriors' Noelle. In game 3, each player got two attempts at the 9 in an embarrassing finish to the game, with Noelle finally converting to the bottom side to take the game and a 2-1 series win. Noelle, ranked #129 for 9-ball, will face Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Smokey. The last 8-ball set with the blue cue for this round comes from the northeast as well. Diamond's Smokey made an impact in game 1 by having just enough defense to prevent a strong finish from Archtown's Ruby, before mopping up the rest of his own work to take a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Smokey knocked in four balls on the break, two of each, which set the tone for a fast-paced game that saw the Arrows' Ruby score a four-ball run-out at the end after defending Smokey's last ball. Ruby's excellent shot selection and execution keyed her victory, tying the series at 1. Ruby continued to shoot well, scoring a seven-ball run early in game 3, but she had to wait for Smokey to clear shooting lanes before taking the 8 and the series by a 2-1 score. Ranked #117 in 8-ball, Ruby will face Web City Spiders newcomer Shiny in the bracket quarterfinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Chimpy v. Jennifer Livilotti. The final series of the day ends the red cue's obligations for 8-ball in the first round. Terrace City's Jennifer came out on top in game 1, pulling ahead on a four-ball run and taking advantage of a missed shot on the 8 by Modernistic's Chimpy to take a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer scored a game 2 win with a four-ball run-out, overpowering repeated attempts from the Union's Chimpy to defend against her ability to prolong runs. Jennifer just straight outplayed Chimpy in game 3, grabbing the game by the horns early until she had a 3-0 series win in her hands. Ranked #131 in 8-ball, Jennifer faces J. Garcia of the Southridge Defenders in the bracket quarterfinals.
Clearly, I'm not game fit anymore, so these small game totals are likely to continue for awhile. We may not finish all B-level games before departure day, so, there could be some overlap later in the year. More SCL quarterfinals tomorrow.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Cleo. The first series of the day features the silver cue in 9-ball. Sparkles of Todavía paced her attack with a four-ball run, but Cleo of Everton scored a three-ball run to make things interesting before missing the 9, allowing Sparkles to take game 1 for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Sparkles had a three-ball run from the break in game 2, and allowed Cleo of the Eagles to do the rest, illegally striking the 5-9 combination to the bottom right for an automatic loss compounded by a scratch, allowing Sparkles to take the series at 2-0. Sparkles swept the series with a three-ball run-out in game 3 for a 3-0 series win. Ranked #120 for 9-ball, Sparkles will face fellow Oriental United club member and Cleo's Eagles teammate Goldy in the bracket quarterfinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Cheddar v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue gets another appearance, playing 8-ball for this series. Harrison's Sydney took game 1 on a three-ball run-out after Whitewater's Cheddar helped by potting her defensive ball while trying and failing to use a follow shot, giving Sydney the 1-0 lead in the series. Sydney also took game 2 for the Specters, working a strong attack with reasonable defense in the middle and late parts of the game, which worked to hold off the Shores' Cheddar as Sydney moved to 2-0 in the series. Sydney had to come from behind to complete the sweep, using a four-ball run-out in game 3 to stun Cheddar as she cruised to a 3-0 series win. Ranked #113 for 8-ball, Sydney faces fellow rookie Nikolai of the Freedom Cascades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Tigerette v. Jasmine. The silver cue continues with a battle between captains of historically poor teams in 12-ball. Freedom's Jasmine outplayed Commerce's Tigerette with a brilliant defensive posture that ultimately caused Tigerette to give the game away late, as she illegally potted a ball that set Jasmine up to tap her last shot in for a 1-0 series lead. Tigerette answered back for the Tradewinds in game 2, winning after the Cascades' Jasmine gave up two wild card balls to Tigerette, who then ran out her last four balls to make it a 1-1 series. Jasmine took game 3, but it was far from comfortable as Tigerette pressed her to the end before Jasmine finally broke through on a three-ball run-out for the win to make it a 2-1 series. Ranked #127 for 12-ball, Jasmine will oppose Blizzard of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Stinky. The red cue comes on for Rotation in this series. Freedom's Stinky took game 1 by an 8-7 score of Queens' Max, using a three-ball run-out keyed by Max missing the 13 on a long bank attempt to go up 1-0 in the series for the visitor. The Cascades' Stinky got all the bounces in game 2, winning 8-0 to shut out the Flames' Max with a few lucky shots that went for him and did not for his host. Stinky clinched the series at 2-0 with the win. Max made it a 2-1 series win for Stinky by taking game 3 by a score of 8-2, dominating thoroughly and making game 1 look all the more pivotal. Ranked #128 for Rotation, Stinky will face Everton Eagle Blizzard in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Strawberry v. Missy. The silver cue is back for this 7-ball series. Game 1 made very clear why both players are in the B-level part of the bracket. Capital City's Missy eventually potted the 7 to take a 1-0 series lead over Pronger's Strawberry, but the two combined to sink balls to only two pockets. Game 2 went much better, as Missy of the Sharpshooters scored a three-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0 over the Tridents' Strawberry in a cleaner game. Strawberry had an error late in game 3, which made things all the easier for Missy, who buried her chances as they appeared and won 3-0 in the series. The #127 ranked 7-ball player, Missy will face Brownie of the Harrison Specters in the bracket quarterfinals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Nicole v. Easter. This edition of the Spanish Derby features the red cue in 8-ball. Todavía's Easter forced Southern's Nicole into a bad error late in game 1, working some defense as her offense dried up that led to Nicole illegally potting the 8, putting Easter ahead 1-0 in the series. Game 2 involved less trickery by the Stills' Easter, as she simply out-muscled the Monarchs' Nicole to take the win and a 2-0 series lead. Easter again dominated in game 3, leaving Nicole with no chance after a late four-ball run halted by just the edge of the pocket, which turned into a tap-in on the 8 on her next turn as she claimed a 3-0 sweep for the series. Ranked #128 for 8-ball, Easter is set to match up against Dani of the Capital City Sharpshooters in the Bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Gabe v. Nightfur. The red cue gets another set for 9-ball this time. Infinity's Gabe took a 1-0 series lead, using a pair of three-ball runs to dominate possession against Royal's Nightfur in game 1. The Crowns' Nightfur answered the call in game 2, working against a much less accurate Gabe of the Torpedoes to strike down the last two balls and tie the series at 1 in a strong rebound effort. In game 3, the players exchanged mid-game misses, and this extended to a critical miss by Nightfur at the end that allowed Gabe to bury the 9 for a 2-1 series win. The #123 ranked 9-ball player, Gabe will face Nightfur's Crowns teammate Frosty in the bracket quarterfinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Charli. An experienced captain faces a rookie in 12-ball with the red cue. Oceanside's Snuggle started hot, but when he ran out of shots, Tysini's rookie Charli wasted little time in executing a five-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead in confident form. The Hummingbirds' Charli played a bit brash in game 2, surrendering three wild card balls (one was returned later) and still nearly overcoming it until a late missed contact set the Waves' Snuggle up to score a straight in shot for the win that tied the series at 1. Charli left no doubt in game 3, giving Snuggle no good shot as she shut him out for a 2-1 series lead. Ranked #129 in 12-ball, Charli will face Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Cubby. Two very muscular opponents duke it out in Rotation with the silver cue in the eastern hills. Maplewood's Cubby took game 1 in convincing form, winning 8-4 with a double-pot of the 14-15 from a combination off the 8, burying Nikolai of Freedom late in the game. The Cascades' Nikolai tied it in a very poor looking game 2, winning 8-3 only after frustrations between the giants boiled over and shot velocity took a steep increase, all due to the Lumberjacks' Cubby scratching while potting the 4. The series stands at 1-1. Frustrations remained in game 3, as Nikolai squandered a big lead early, but rebounded on a three-ball run-out to take the game 8-5 and the series 2-1. The #119 ranked Rotation player, Nikolai gets a set against Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sleepy B. v. Fluffina. The blue cue gets its first look of the day in 8-ball. Maplewood's Fluffina dominated in game 1, working an early 6-ball run and patiently waiting for Archtown's Sleepy B. to give her a good look to take of the remaining balls in the process of taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The Arrows' Sleepy B. fared no better in game 2, making more critical mistakes to ease the game along for the Lumberjacks' Fluffina, who won by a comfortable margin. Fluffina took the sweep in game 3 as Sleepy B. illegally potted the 8 for the loss to make it 3-0 in the series. Fluffina, ranked #130 for 8-ball, opposes Nightfur of the Royal Crowns in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Blizzard v. Shawn. The night session sees 10-ball with the red cue find its first round finale. Everton's Blizzard struck with a three-ball run-out in game 1 to top an error-prone Shawn of Swordpoint for a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Shawn took game 2 with a three-ball run-out himself, ending early on an 8-10 combination to the bottom right to tie the series at 1 with the Eagles' Blizzard. In game 3, Blizzard bounced back to get the win and take the series 2-1. Ranked #102 for 10-ball, Blizzard is set to play against Wings of the Pearl Surfers in the bracket quarterfinals.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Niki. The Eastside Sharks rookie travels to the big city for her debut against a determined veteran in 8-ball with the silver cue. Eastside's Niki won her first ever game, using a six-ball run around mid-game to pace the attack against Royal's Jake, eventually leading to simple shots at the end for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake bounced back in game 2, working around the Sharks' Niki, who helped Jake out with two of his balls being potted on her shots, as the series moved to a 1-1 tie. Niki ended up with a 2-1 series win, running five balls early and sinking the 8 with a two-rail bank to the bottom left to avoid Jake's strong defenses for the game 3 win. Ranked #114 in 8-ball, Niki will oppose Goatee of the Westside Rockers in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Noelle. The red cue returns for this 9-ball series. Central's Noelle took game 1 after Everton's Puff III left the 9 short at the top right, easy pickings for the seasoned veteran of last year's elite northeastern squad. Game 2 was a tad shaky for both sides, with the Eagles' Puff III stabilizing slightly quicker, in time to pull out a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1 with the Warriors' Noelle. In game 3, each player got two attempts at the 9 in an embarrassing finish to the game, with Noelle finally converting to the bottom side to take the game and a 2-1 series win. Noelle, ranked #129 for 9-ball, will face Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Smokey. The last 8-ball set with the blue cue for this round comes from the northeast as well. Diamond's Smokey made an impact in game 1 by having just enough defense to prevent a strong finish from Archtown's Ruby, before mopping up the rest of his own work to take a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Smokey knocked in four balls on the break, two of each, which set the tone for a fast-paced game that saw the Arrows' Ruby score a four-ball run-out at the end after defending Smokey's last ball. Ruby's excellent shot selection and execution keyed her victory, tying the series at 1. Ruby continued to shoot well, scoring a seven-ball run early in game 3, but she had to wait for Smokey to clear shooting lanes before taking the 8 and the series by a 2-1 score. Ranked #117 in 8-ball, Ruby will face Web City Spiders newcomer Shiny in the bracket quarterfinals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Chimpy v. Jennifer Livilotti. The final series of the day ends the red cue's obligations for 8-ball in the first round. Terrace City's Jennifer came out on top in game 1, pulling ahead on a four-ball run and taking advantage of a missed shot on the 8 by Modernistic's Chimpy to take a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer scored a game 2 win with a four-ball run-out, overpowering repeated attempts from the Union's Chimpy to defend against her ability to prolong runs. Jennifer just straight outplayed Chimpy in game 3, grabbing the game by the horns early until she had a 3-0 series win in her hands. Ranked #131 in 8-ball, Jennifer faces J. Garcia of the Southridge Defenders in the bracket quarterfinals.
Clearly, I'm not game fit anymore, so these small game totals are likely to continue for awhile. We may not finish all B-level games before departure day, so, there could be some overlap later in the year. More SCL quarterfinals tomorrow.
Summer Cricket League: Quarterfinals Part 1
Two of the quarterfinals series will be played today, hopefully to conclusion. We will be using a three-game format, with the better seed hosting the first two games before switching locations. We begin with...
The Johannesburg Lions hosting the Bangkok Sixes in game 1. Firdoze Uns led off with 122 for Bangkok, a weak start. Wiebe Becker took just 66 for Johannesburg, getting things off to a slow start. Gilbert Berry tacked on 245 for the Sixes. Normando Alonso put the Lions in charge by hitting 972. Aleix Nieto faltered with 16 for Bangkok, putting them in serious trouble. Ken Howard tacked on 400 for Johannesburg. Zuri Okafor continued to make the Sixes flounder, with only 52 points. Lucio Adame slugged another 931 for the Lions, almost guaranteeing a win for them. Rodas Nunez supplied Bangkok with 139. Oshri Aharonov put it in cruise control for Johannesburg, scoring a meager 80 points. Luis Godinez hit 384 for the Sixes, as they lost with 958. Pieter Hendrickx iced the Lions win with 385, for a 2834 total. Johannesburg is up 1-0 in the series.
In game 2, Firdoze Uns began with 488 this time for Bangkok, a much stronger opening. Wiebe Becker slapped 439 for Johannesburg, keeping it close. Gilbert Berry put up 164 for the Sixes. Normando Alonso grabbed 155 for the Lions, keeping them in striking range. Aleix Nieto posted 176 for Bangkok. Ken Howard knocked 297 for Johannesburg, giving them a slight edge. Zuri Okafor answered with 332 for the Sixes. Lucio Adame countered with 441 for the Lions, keeping them in the lead. Rodas Nunez faltered with 45 for Bangkok. Oshri Aharonov added 249 for Johannesburg. Luis Godinez managed just 37 points for the Sixes, as they lost with 1242, exiting the playoffs. Pieter Hendrickx kept it simple, hitting 9 for the Lions to give them the win at 1590. Johannesburg is into the semifinals on a 2-0 series win.
For the next series, the Prague Checkmates host the American Rebels. Axel Cools opened with 168 for American. Pancho Barrios shot back with 297 for Prague. Louvel Lefevre had only 37 for the Rebels, putting them in a spot of trouble early on. Lucila Zavala had only 82 for the Checkmates, keeping things somewhat close. Sander Lambert hit 312 for American, keeping things competitive. Hyunjae Kwak unleashed 879 for Prague, creating a large lead halfway through the game. Irsyad Sudjana hauled in 443 for the Rebels. Corentin Aerts replied with 320 for the Checkmates, losing a little of the hosts' comfort zone. Sabino Chacon managed only 195 for American. Darryl Estrada scooped up 476 for Prague, likely securing the game. Cisco Solorio batted 146 to give the Rebels a final of 1301 in the loss. Rayan Carranza tacked on 164 to make it 2218 for the Checkmates as they take a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 starts with American's Axel Cools hitting 395, a much stronger first strike. Pancho Barrios gave Prague 304, likely leading to a closer game. Louvel Lefevre has completely fallen out of form, giving the Rebels just 1 measly point. Lucila Zavala hit 188, pulling the Checkmates to a lead. Sander Lambert shocked American back to life with 445. Hyunjae Kwak countered with 420 for Prague. Irsyad Sudjana didn't do much to help the Rebels, scoring 192. Corentin Aerts hit just 130 for the Checkmates, tightening the game up as it enters its later stages. Sabino Chacon had a poor 64 for American, putting them in trouble again. Darryl Estrada couldn't be a game-changer, posting 87 for Prague as their lead remains narrow. Cisco Solorio failed as well, with 69 points to put the Rebels at 1166 total. Rayan Carranza did just enough, hitting 66 to give the Checkmates 1195 and the 2-0 series win.
Tomorrow will see more action for the more extreme seeds as the quarterfinals will come to an end. Pool is up for the afternoon.
The Johannesburg Lions hosting the Bangkok Sixes in game 1. Firdoze Uns led off with 122 for Bangkok, a weak start. Wiebe Becker took just 66 for Johannesburg, getting things off to a slow start. Gilbert Berry tacked on 245 for the Sixes. Normando Alonso put the Lions in charge by hitting 972. Aleix Nieto faltered with 16 for Bangkok, putting them in serious trouble. Ken Howard tacked on 400 for Johannesburg. Zuri Okafor continued to make the Sixes flounder, with only 52 points. Lucio Adame slugged another 931 for the Lions, almost guaranteeing a win for them. Rodas Nunez supplied Bangkok with 139. Oshri Aharonov put it in cruise control for Johannesburg, scoring a meager 80 points. Luis Godinez hit 384 for the Sixes, as they lost with 958. Pieter Hendrickx iced the Lions win with 385, for a 2834 total. Johannesburg is up 1-0 in the series.
In game 2, Firdoze Uns began with 488 this time for Bangkok, a much stronger opening. Wiebe Becker slapped 439 for Johannesburg, keeping it close. Gilbert Berry put up 164 for the Sixes. Normando Alonso grabbed 155 for the Lions, keeping them in striking range. Aleix Nieto posted 176 for Bangkok. Ken Howard knocked 297 for Johannesburg, giving them a slight edge. Zuri Okafor answered with 332 for the Sixes. Lucio Adame countered with 441 for the Lions, keeping them in the lead. Rodas Nunez faltered with 45 for Bangkok. Oshri Aharonov added 249 for Johannesburg. Luis Godinez managed just 37 points for the Sixes, as they lost with 1242, exiting the playoffs. Pieter Hendrickx kept it simple, hitting 9 for the Lions to give them the win at 1590. Johannesburg is into the semifinals on a 2-0 series win.
For the next series, the Prague Checkmates host the American Rebels. Axel Cools opened with 168 for American. Pancho Barrios shot back with 297 for Prague. Louvel Lefevre had only 37 for the Rebels, putting them in a spot of trouble early on. Lucila Zavala had only 82 for the Checkmates, keeping things somewhat close. Sander Lambert hit 312 for American, keeping things competitive. Hyunjae Kwak unleashed 879 for Prague, creating a large lead halfway through the game. Irsyad Sudjana hauled in 443 for the Rebels. Corentin Aerts replied with 320 for the Checkmates, losing a little of the hosts' comfort zone. Sabino Chacon managed only 195 for American. Darryl Estrada scooped up 476 for Prague, likely securing the game. Cisco Solorio batted 146 to give the Rebels a final of 1301 in the loss. Rayan Carranza tacked on 164 to make it 2218 for the Checkmates as they take a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 starts with American's Axel Cools hitting 395, a much stronger first strike. Pancho Barrios gave Prague 304, likely leading to a closer game. Louvel Lefevre has completely fallen out of form, giving the Rebels just 1 measly point. Lucila Zavala hit 188, pulling the Checkmates to a lead. Sander Lambert shocked American back to life with 445. Hyunjae Kwak countered with 420 for Prague. Irsyad Sudjana didn't do much to help the Rebels, scoring 192. Corentin Aerts hit just 130 for the Checkmates, tightening the game up as it enters its later stages. Sabino Chacon had a poor 64 for American, putting them in trouble again. Darryl Estrada couldn't be a game-changer, posting 87 for Prague as their lead remains narrow. Cisco Solorio failed as well, with 69 points to put the Rebels at 1166 total. Rayan Carranza did just enough, hitting 66 to give the Checkmates 1195 and the 2-0 series win.
Tomorrow will see more action for the more extreme seeds as the quarterfinals will come to an end. Pool is up for the afternoon.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Pool: 2016 B-level First Round - Day 2
We're back for more games today, and we'll start things off simple in...
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Sprinkles. The first set of the day is 7-ball with the silver cue in the southwest. Capital City's Sprinkles appeared to be in charge until she scratched while potting the 4, making things easier for Todavía's Sparkles, who walked away with a 1-0 series lead two shots later. Sprinkles got one back for the Sharpshooters, winning game 2 on a tap-in of the 7 to the top left after the Stills' Sparkles sent it slightly wide of the target, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Sprinkles took the decisive game 3 with a three-ball run-out for a 2-1 series win, stunning Sparkles with a late run of good form. Sprinkles, ranked #120 for 7-ball, is set to face Whitewater Shores captain Bear in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Jake. The silver cue gets another series, in use for Rotation. Royal's Jake had a large deficit to overcome, but rallied from five balls down to stymie Everton's Puff III late to take an 8-6 win in game 1 for a 1-0 series lead. Puff III made sure no ridiculous comeback occurred in game 2, as the Eagles star won 8-3, capitalizing on a variety of errors committed by the Crowns' Jake to tie the series at 1 in convincing fashion. Jake would have the last laugh, taking game 3 with a four-ball run-out for another 8-6 win, pulling off a remarkable comeback again to take the series 2-1 over Puff III. Ranked #125 in Rotation, Jake will travel to Terrace City to face the Knights' Kiwi in the bracket quarterfinals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Goldy. For this 15-ball series, we have the blue cue in attendance. Everton's Goldy took advantage of a lack of finishing ability from Southridge's Debby late in the game, as she faltered on multiple occasions and Goldy was there to mop up for a 1-0 series lead after taking the game 1 win. Game 2 was extremely sloppy on both sides, with the Eagles' Goldy coming out on top after the final blunder from the Defenders' Debby ended up being rattling the 14 out of the top right. Goldy made the last two shots to go up 2-0 in the series. Debby got one back in game 3, icing another rough game to make it a 2-1 series. The #124 ranked 15-ball player, Goldy, will face Tigerette of the Commerce Tradewinds in the bracket quarterfinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Blizzard. The silver cue is back for a series of Accuracy. Leonette of Pacific took the game 5-7, but it wasn't pretty, as the misses were frequent on both sides as Everton's Blizzard went down 1-0 in the series after a game 1 loss. The Eagles' Blizzard looked a lot better, inducing a late miss from the Volcanoes' Leonette to take game 2 by a score of 2-3, tying the series at 1 in the process. Blizzard didn't do as well in game 3, but it worked for a 3-5 win to take the series 2-1 over Leonette, advancing to face Eastside Sharks superstar Taylor Swift in the bracket quarterfinals.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Jake. The silver cue continues with 9-ball for this series. Royal's Jake took a slow-paced game 1 with a modest two-ball run-out, ending with a bank of the 9 off the bottom rail to the top right to go up 1-0 in the series over Maplewood's Bryant. The Lumberjacks' Bryant tied the series at 1, working a four-ball run-out in game 2 to gain a bit of control and draw things even against the Crowns' Jake. Bryant continued his strong play in game 3, holding control until late, where he mopped up Jake's short leave at the bottom right on the 9 to take the series 2-1. Ranked #122 in 9-ball, Bryant is set to face Whiskers of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Oreo. The blue cue returns for 12-ball in this series. Terrace City's Oreo struck big time in game 1, taking a couple of fruitless turns before running out all six of her balls to shock Golden's Valencia as she took a 1-0 series lead with the big win. The Knights' Oreo clinched the series at 2-0, coming from behind despite surrendering a wild card ball in game 2 to top the Pilots' Valencia again for the first franchise series win for Terrace City. Valencia saved a game in the series, taking game 3 after Oreo illegally potted her last ball, which dented the effectiveness of her wild card ball and allowed Valencia the time she needed to finish the game. Oreo, ranked #109 for 12-ball, advances to the bracket quarterfinals against Leonardo of the Todavía Stills.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. A. Charlton. The red cue gets its first look today, shooting 15-ball in the southeast. Royal's Frosty finished strong after a mildly-paced game against Golden's Charlton, finishing off the last few shots to take a 1-0 series lead after game 1. Frosty of the Crowns dominated in game 2, driving possession pretty efficiently, but Charlton of the Pilots took a 9-15 combination to the bottom right to tie the series at 1 on one very well-selected shot. Frosty finished the series up 2-1 with a game 3 win on a four-ball run-out, halting Charlton's solid play to advance. Frosty, ranked #121 for 15-ball, will play against Paps of the Pronger Tridents in the bracket quarterfinals.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Sydney Sierota. The red cue stays at the table for 7-ball, with the competitive debut of Harrison rookie Sydney. The Swordpoint veteran Snowball showed her patience, allowing Harrison's Sydney to do most of the early work before striking with mostly simple shots late to take a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sydney tied the series at 1, winning a messy game 2 with a bank off the top rail to the bottom right on the 7. It's not like the Blades' Snowball didn't have her chances, but she couldn't sustain any run of play. In game 3, Sydney capitalized on a late miss on the 7 by Snowball, taking the game and her first ever series win, 2-1. Sydney, ranked #125 for 7-ball, will face Victoria Spurs captain Spice in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Bells. The game is again Rotation, as the red cue stays at the table. Play was halted for poor form, and restarted on Wednesday after things got too rocky on Tuesday. Boston's Sweetheart took game 1 by an 8-5 score, keeping pace even with Oceanside's Bells before breaking free at the end in a still-poor but improved from yesterday run of form. The Swifts' Sweetheart made a better impression in game 2, scoring an 8-3 win to take a 2-0 series lead over the Waves' Bells, who fell to a four-ball run-out from Sweetheart. Bells took game 3 comfortably by the score of 8-3, but Sweetheart still advanced to the bracket quarterfinals on a 2-1 series win, where her #123 ranked bid in Rotation will face Stealth of the Swordpoint Blades.
Ebay Center, Queens: Kayla v. Pounce. The red cue keeps going with 8-ball in this game. Queens' Kayla got a bit of luck when Oceanside's newcomer Pounce erred in trying to get the 5 to the bottom left, instead burying the 13, which made the last two shots easy for Kayla to secure game 1 and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Kayla made it 2-0 in the series with a game 2 win she looked strong in, and she was aided by the Waves' Pounce squandering a chance to make it interesting after her illegal jump on the 12 gave him ball in hand. Kayla wavered a bit in game 3, and Pounce took advantage of it, scoring a win to make it just a 2-1 series win for Kayla. Ranked #119 in 8-ball, Kayla faces Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Stripes v. Midnight. This 10-ball series with the red cue is the first ever home set for the Terrace City Knights, as well as marking the return of the Brute Force club team in the form of Midnight's appearance. Westside's Midnight won game 1 after Terrace City's Stripes scratched after potting the 9, earning the rebooted Brute Force a win in their club debut, going up 1-0 in the series. The Knights' Stripes again scratched late in the game, allowing the Rockers' Midnight to clinch the series at 2-0 by tapping in the 10 from ball-in-hand again. Game 3 appeared to be heading to a run of poor form, but Stripes ended it early, caroming the cue off the 1 to pot the 10 in the bottom right, making it a 2-1 series win for Midnight. The #123 ranked 10-ball player, Midnight is set to face Lighton Prestige wunderkind Spirit in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Smudge. Game 1 stayed tight between the players, with neither gaining significant advantage until a late push from Everton's Cleo sent her to a win and 1-0 lead in the series over Infinity's Smudge. In game 2, the Torpedoes' Smudge overcame a scratching problem to cue a three-ball run-out to tie the series with the Eagles' Cleo at 1 game apiece. Smudge worked an early six-ball run that paced her game 3 attack, and while Cleo also played well, she couldn't catch up, losing the game and a 2-1 series to the #126 ranked Smudge, who next faces Alyssa of the Oceanside Waves in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Midnight. The game remains as 8-ball as the red cue returns to the table. Infinity's Shelley took game 1 in fine form, running out her last five balls to stun a red-hot Midnight of Westside late in the game. The Torpedoes' Shelley took game 2 as well, overcoming some late strong play from the Rockers' Midnight to clinch the series at 2-0. Midnight took care of business in game 3, making a strong showing to put the series at a final score of 2-1, favoring Shelley. Ranked #118 in 8-ball, Shelley will face the new Harrison Specter Brownie in the bracket quarterfinals.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Stripes v. Nightfur. The blue cue gets another series, now playing 7-ball. Game 1 saw both players use good pace, but they also both flubbed shots on the 7 near the end, with Stripes of Terrace City burying her second chance to take a 1-0 lead over Royal's Nightfur. Nightfur tied it at 1 with a five-ball run out for the Crowns, taking game 2 by storm and leaving the Knights' Stripes empty-handed after just two missed shots. Nightfur played the slightly better game 3 compared to Stripes, having the edge in possession and results for a 2-1 series win after a shot from distance to take the 7. Nightfur, the #115 ranked 7-ball player, opposes Dusky of the Archtown Arrows in the bracket quarterfinals.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Slinks v. Jasmine. The blue cue remains for 15-ball in this series. Harrison's Slinks pounded out a five-ball run-out to take a very fast-paced game 1 over Freedom captain Jasmine. The Cascades' Jasmine turned the tables on the Specters' Slinks in game 2, completing a four-ball run-out on the heels of another four-ball run in the second half of the game, tying the series at 1 in the process. Jasmine took the series 2-1, winning game 3 in a back-and-forth finish that saw her drive the 15 to the bottom left after Slinks rattled it out of the same location. Jasmine, ranked #125 for 15-ball, faces Snowball of the Swordpoint Blades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lorde v. Gizmo. The Commerce Tradewinds rookie Lorde debuts in 15-ball with the silver cue for her first home match. Game 1 wavered between brilliance and shakiness, and Commerce's Lorde ended on the latter, with Central's Gizmo mopping up a tap-in on the 15 at the bottom right for a win and the 1-0 lead. The Warriors' Gizmo was rewarded for patience in game 2, using a three-ball run-out capped by a 5-15 combination to the bottom side to clinch the series at 2-0 over the Tradewinds' Lorde, who was simply outmatched. Lorde got her first career win in game 3, cleaning up for Gizmo's miss on the 15 after Lorde controlled possession late, making it a 2-1 series. Gizmo, the #120 ranked 15-ball player, is into the bracket quarterfinals against his sister, Missy of the Capital City Sharpshooters.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Snuggle. The red cue returns to action in this 10-ball series. Oceanside's Snuggle struck big in game 1, keeping things competitive against Terrace City's Kiwi up until the end, where he broke free for 1-0 series lead with an easy pair of shots to finish the game. Snuggle of the Waves appeared to be cruising to a game 2 win, but a late scratch allowed the Knights' Kiwi to tap the 10 into the bottom side for the win, tying the series at 1. Snuggle took game 3 narrowly, escaping from Kiwi's late game theatrics after she missed contact on her second attempt at the 10, giving Snuggle a 2-1 series win. Ranked #127 in 10-ball, Snuggle will oppose Cleo of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Pounce v. Jack. The next set is in 10-ball, but with the silver cue this time. Pounce of Oceanside took game 1 on a four-ball run-out, picking a wonderful time to hone in on his shot, leaving Pacific's Jack helpless. The Volcanoes' Jack picked up game 2, missing on two attempts to finish the game early only to see the Waves' Pounce miss a late attempt on the 10 by leaving it short, which he tapped in to tie the series at 1. Pounce took game 3 on a three-ball run-out, showing confidence despite a poor game from both players. The win put Pounce through to the bracket quarterfinals on a 2-1 series win, and he'll next face Nicole of the Southern Monarchs.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Jack v. Diddley. The last series of the afternoon sees the blue cue come on for Accuracy. Maplewood's Diddley was, as far as we can tell, perfect in game 1, crushing Pacific's Jack by an 0-5 score to go up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 saw things get a little closer, but the Volcanoes' Jack was in trouble early and couldn't bounce back, with the Lumberjacks' Diddley winning 2-4 and moving to 2-0 in the series. Jack took game 3, a very close and thrilling game, by a 1-2 score, but also lost the series 2-1 to Diddley, who is set to face Diamond Gem Cassandra in the bracket quarterfinals with his #119 ranked bid.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Graham v. Spice. The short night session sees 12-ball played with the blue cue first of all. Eastside's Graham took game 1 with a four-ball run from the break pacing him, before coasting to victory as Victoria's Spice just couldn't close the gap in the end, making it a 1-0 series. The Sharks' Graham took game 2 as well, coming from behind with some bold shooting late aided by a costly scratch from the Spurs' Spice, who couldn't recover and lost the series at 2-0. Spice took game 3 fairly comfortably, working around the table to salvage a 2-1 series score. Graham, ranked #100 for 12-ball, will play Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Puff III. The name-heritage strikes again for the last 15-ball set with the silver cue in this round. Boston's Puff II didn't sink a ball in game 1, but she didn't have to when her snooker after the break induced an illegal potting of the 15 from Everton's Puff III on her first shot, giving the elder Puff the 1-0 lead. The Swifts' Puff II had to work a little harder in game 2, but she still vanquished the Eagles' Puff III in highlight fashion, scoring a 10-11-15 combination to the bottom left for the win to make it 2-0 in the series. Puff III salvaged one game, taking game 3 on a carom off the 6 that softly tapped the 15 to the top right for the win, leaving Puff II with a 2-1 series win. The #90 ranked 15-ball player, Puff II will face Boots of the Southridge Defenders in the bracket quarterfinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Delila. Two of the league's premier leaders oppose each other in 15-ball with the blue cue. Atlantic's Delila took game 1, failing to control play early but showing up well near the end of the game to capitalize on the mistakes from Westside's Misty to gain a 1-0 lead. The Pirates' Delila appeared to play better in game 2, but a late four-ball run by the Rockers' Misty shook her confidence, and a couple of mistakes later, Misty evened the series by putting the 15 in the bottom left. Misty easily had the better of play in game 3, but still had to battle for a tough pair of finishing shots, finally topping Delila for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #116 for 15-ball, Misty will oppose mentor and Lighton Prestige captain Acorn in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Jake. The red cue returns for 7-ball in the rural southeast. If you blinked, you missed game 1, as Dusty of Golden potted two on the break while scratching, allowing Royal's Jake to set up for a perfectly executed five-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake took little time in game 2 as well, performing a six-ball run-out to top the Pilots' Dusty for a 2-0 series lead. Most impressive in the run-out was Jake's shot on the 4, a masse shot he curled quite a bit around the 5 to glance the 4 into the top right, making it look effortless for the likely shot of the round. Two shots later, he banked the 6 to the bottom side, with the cue crossing the banking line in the difficult display of talent. Jake completed the 3-0 sweep with a game 3 win, allowing Dusty to do a five-ball run that ended in illegal contact before he knocked in the final two balls for the win. Ranked #129 for 7-ball, Jake will face Dusty's Pilots teammate Valencia in the bracket quarterfinals.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Marsell v. Kayla. The final series of the day is 10-ball with the red cue in the southeastern region. Royal's Marsell took game 1, running three balls at one point as he cruised to a 1-0 series lead over Queens' Kayla. The Crowns' Marsell claimed the series by winning game 2 on a ridiculous seven-ball run-out, stymieing the Flames' Kayla after just one minor mistake. Kayla got game 3 with a carom off the 3 to take the 10 to the top side, making it a 2-1 series win for Marsell. Ranked #104 for 10-ball, Marsell is set to face off with A. Charlton of the Golden Pilots in the bracket quarterfinals.
That's all for this two-days-in-one situation. We're back into playing rhythm, so the schedule should stabilize. Expect some SCL action tomorrow morning.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Sprinkles. The first set of the day is 7-ball with the silver cue in the southwest. Capital City's Sprinkles appeared to be in charge until she scratched while potting the 4, making things easier for Todavía's Sparkles, who walked away with a 1-0 series lead two shots later. Sprinkles got one back for the Sharpshooters, winning game 2 on a tap-in of the 7 to the top left after the Stills' Sparkles sent it slightly wide of the target, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Sprinkles took the decisive game 3 with a three-ball run-out for a 2-1 series win, stunning Sparkles with a late run of good form. Sprinkles, ranked #120 for 7-ball, is set to face Whitewater Shores captain Bear in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Jake. The silver cue gets another series, in use for Rotation. Royal's Jake had a large deficit to overcome, but rallied from five balls down to stymie Everton's Puff III late to take an 8-6 win in game 1 for a 1-0 series lead. Puff III made sure no ridiculous comeback occurred in game 2, as the Eagles star won 8-3, capitalizing on a variety of errors committed by the Crowns' Jake to tie the series at 1 in convincing fashion. Jake would have the last laugh, taking game 3 with a four-ball run-out for another 8-6 win, pulling off a remarkable comeback again to take the series 2-1 over Puff III. Ranked #125 in Rotation, Jake will travel to Terrace City to face the Knights' Kiwi in the bracket quarterfinals.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Goldy. For this 15-ball series, we have the blue cue in attendance. Everton's Goldy took advantage of a lack of finishing ability from Southridge's Debby late in the game, as she faltered on multiple occasions and Goldy was there to mop up for a 1-0 series lead after taking the game 1 win. Game 2 was extremely sloppy on both sides, with the Eagles' Goldy coming out on top after the final blunder from the Defenders' Debby ended up being rattling the 14 out of the top right. Goldy made the last two shots to go up 2-0 in the series. Debby got one back in game 3, icing another rough game to make it a 2-1 series. The #124 ranked 15-ball player, Goldy, will face Tigerette of the Commerce Tradewinds in the bracket quarterfinals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Blizzard. The silver cue is back for a series of Accuracy. Leonette of Pacific took the game 5-7, but it wasn't pretty, as the misses were frequent on both sides as Everton's Blizzard went down 1-0 in the series after a game 1 loss. The Eagles' Blizzard looked a lot better, inducing a late miss from the Volcanoes' Leonette to take game 2 by a score of 2-3, tying the series at 1 in the process. Blizzard didn't do as well in game 3, but it worked for a 3-5 win to take the series 2-1 over Leonette, advancing to face Eastside Sharks superstar Taylor Swift in the bracket quarterfinals.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Bryant v. Jake. The silver cue continues with 9-ball for this series. Royal's Jake took a slow-paced game 1 with a modest two-ball run-out, ending with a bank of the 9 off the bottom rail to the top right to go up 1-0 in the series over Maplewood's Bryant. The Lumberjacks' Bryant tied the series at 1, working a four-ball run-out in game 2 to gain a bit of control and draw things even against the Crowns' Jake. Bryant continued his strong play in game 3, holding control until late, where he mopped up Jake's short leave at the bottom right on the 9 to take the series 2-1. Ranked #122 in 9-ball, Bryant is set to face Whiskers of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Oreo. The blue cue returns for 12-ball in this series. Terrace City's Oreo struck big time in game 1, taking a couple of fruitless turns before running out all six of her balls to shock Golden's Valencia as she took a 1-0 series lead with the big win. The Knights' Oreo clinched the series at 2-0, coming from behind despite surrendering a wild card ball in game 2 to top the Pilots' Valencia again for the first franchise series win for Terrace City. Valencia saved a game in the series, taking game 3 after Oreo illegally potted her last ball, which dented the effectiveness of her wild card ball and allowed Valencia the time she needed to finish the game. Oreo, ranked #109 for 12-ball, advances to the bracket quarterfinals against Leonardo of the Todavía Stills.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. A. Charlton. The red cue gets its first look today, shooting 15-ball in the southeast. Royal's Frosty finished strong after a mildly-paced game against Golden's Charlton, finishing off the last few shots to take a 1-0 series lead after game 1. Frosty of the Crowns dominated in game 2, driving possession pretty efficiently, but Charlton of the Pilots took a 9-15 combination to the bottom right to tie the series at 1 on one very well-selected shot. Frosty finished the series up 2-1 with a game 3 win on a four-ball run-out, halting Charlton's solid play to advance. Frosty, ranked #121 for 15-ball, will play against Paps of the Pronger Tridents in the bracket quarterfinals.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Sydney Sierota. The red cue stays at the table for 7-ball, with the competitive debut of Harrison rookie Sydney. The Swordpoint veteran Snowball showed her patience, allowing Harrison's Sydney to do most of the early work before striking with mostly simple shots late to take a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sydney tied the series at 1, winning a messy game 2 with a bank off the top rail to the bottom right on the 7. It's not like the Blades' Snowball didn't have her chances, but she couldn't sustain any run of play. In game 3, Sydney capitalized on a late miss on the 7 by Snowball, taking the game and her first ever series win, 2-1. Sydney, ranked #125 for 7-ball, will face Victoria Spurs captain Spice in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Bells. The game is again Rotation, as the red cue stays at the table. Play was halted for poor form, and restarted on Wednesday after things got too rocky on Tuesday. Boston's Sweetheart took game 1 by an 8-5 score, keeping pace even with Oceanside's Bells before breaking free at the end in a still-poor but improved from yesterday run of form. The Swifts' Sweetheart made a better impression in game 2, scoring an 8-3 win to take a 2-0 series lead over the Waves' Bells, who fell to a four-ball run-out from Sweetheart. Bells took game 3 comfortably by the score of 8-3, but Sweetheart still advanced to the bracket quarterfinals on a 2-1 series win, where her #123 ranked bid in Rotation will face Stealth of the Swordpoint Blades.
Ebay Center, Queens: Kayla v. Pounce. The red cue keeps going with 8-ball in this game. Queens' Kayla got a bit of luck when Oceanside's newcomer Pounce erred in trying to get the 5 to the bottom left, instead burying the 13, which made the last two shots easy for Kayla to secure game 1 and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Kayla made it 2-0 in the series with a game 2 win she looked strong in, and she was aided by the Waves' Pounce squandering a chance to make it interesting after her illegal jump on the 12 gave him ball in hand. Kayla wavered a bit in game 3, and Pounce took advantage of it, scoring a win to make it just a 2-1 series win for Kayla. Ranked #119 in 8-ball, Kayla faces Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Stripes v. Midnight. This 10-ball series with the red cue is the first ever home set for the Terrace City Knights, as well as marking the return of the Brute Force club team in the form of Midnight's appearance. Westside's Midnight won game 1 after Terrace City's Stripes scratched after potting the 9, earning the rebooted Brute Force a win in their club debut, going up 1-0 in the series. The Knights' Stripes again scratched late in the game, allowing the Rockers' Midnight to clinch the series at 2-0 by tapping in the 10 from ball-in-hand again. Game 3 appeared to be heading to a run of poor form, but Stripes ended it early, caroming the cue off the 1 to pot the 10 in the bottom right, making it a 2-1 series win for Midnight. The #123 ranked 10-ball player, Midnight is set to face Lighton Prestige wunderkind Spirit in the bracket quarterfinals.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Smudge. Game 1 stayed tight between the players, with neither gaining significant advantage until a late push from Everton's Cleo sent her to a win and 1-0 lead in the series over Infinity's Smudge. In game 2, the Torpedoes' Smudge overcame a scratching problem to cue a three-ball run-out to tie the series with the Eagles' Cleo at 1 game apiece. Smudge worked an early six-ball run that paced her game 3 attack, and while Cleo also played well, she couldn't catch up, losing the game and a 2-1 series to the #126 ranked Smudge, who next faces Alyssa of the Oceanside Waves in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Midnight. The game remains as 8-ball as the red cue returns to the table. Infinity's Shelley took game 1 in fine form, running out her last five balls to stun a red-hot Midnight of Westside late in the game. The Torpedoes' Shelley took game 2 as well, overcoming some late strong play from the Rockers' Midnight to clinch the series at 2-0. Midnight took care of business in game 3, making a strong showing to put the series at a final score of 2-1, favoring Shelley. Ranked #118 in 8-ball, Shelley will face the new Harrison Specter Brownie in the bracket quarterfinals.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Stripes v. Nightfur. The blue cue gets another series, now playing 7-ball. Game 1 saw both players use good pace, but they also both flubbed shots on the 7 near the end, with Stripes of Terrace City burying her second chance to take a 1-0 lead over Royal's Nightfur. Nightfur tied it at 1 with a five-ball run out for the Crowns, taking game 2 by storm and leaving the Knights' Stripes empty-handed after just two missed shots. Nightfur played the slightly better game 3 compared to Stripes, having the edge in possession and results for a 2-1 series win after a shot from distance to take the 7. Nightfur, the #115 ranked 7-ball player, opposes Dusky of the Archtown Arrows in the bracket quarterfinals.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Slinks v. Jasmine. The blue cue remains for 15-ball in this series. Harrison's Slinks pounded out a five-ball run-out to take a very fast-paced game 1 over Freedom captain Jasmine. The Cascades' Jasmine turned the tables on the Specters' Slinks in game 2, completing a four-ball run-out on the heels of another four-ball run in the second half of the game, tying the series at 1 in the process. Jasmine took the series 2-1, winning game 3 in a back-and-forth finish that saw her drive the 15 to the bottom left after Slinks rattled it out of the same location. Jasmine, ranked #125 for 15-ball, faces Snowball of the Swordpoint Blades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lorde v. Gizmo. The Commerce Tradewinds rookie Lorde debuts in 15-ball with the silver cue for her first home match. Game 1 wavered between brilliance and shakiness, and Commerce's Lorde ended on the latter, with Central's Gizmo mopping up a tap-in on the 15 at the bottom right for a win and the 1-0 lead. The Warriors' Gizmo was rewarded for patience in game 2, using a three-ball run-out capped by a 5-15 combination to the bottom side to clinch the series at 2-0 over the Tradewinds' Lorde, who was simply outmatched. Lorde got her first career win in game 3, cleaning up for Gizmo's miss on the 15 after Lorde controlled possession late, making it a 2-1 series. Gizmo, the #120 ranked 15-ball player, is into the bracket quarterfinals against his sister, Missy of the Capital City Sharpshooters.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Snuggle. The red cue returns to action in this 10-ball series. Oceanside's Snuggle struck big in game 1, keeping things competitive against Terrace City's Kiwi up until the end, where he broke free for 1-0 series lead with an easy pair of shots to finish the game. Snuggle of the Waves appeared to be cruising to a game 2 win, but a late scratch allowed the Knights' Kiwi to tap the 10 into the bottom side for the win, tying the series at 1. Snuggle took game 3 narrowly, escaping from Kiwi's late game theatrics after she missed contact on her second attempt at the 10, giving Snuggle a 2-1 series win. Ranked #127 in 10-ball, Snuggle will oppose Cleo of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Pounce v. Jack. The next set is in 10-ball, but with the silver cue this time. Pounce of Oceanside took game 1 on a four-ball run-out, picking a wonderful time to hone in on his shot, leaving Pacific's Jack helpless. The Volcanoes' Jack picked up game 2, missing on two attempts to finish the game early only to see the Waves' Pounce miss a late attempt on the 10 by leaving it short, which he tapped in to tie the series at 1. Pounce took game 3 on a three-ball run-out, showing confidence despite a poor game from both players. The win put Pounce through to the bracket quarterfinals on a 2-1 series win, and he'll next face Nicole of the Southern Monarchs.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Jack v. Diddley. The last series of the afternoon sees the blue cue come on for Accuracy. Maplewood's Diddley was, as far as we can tell, perfect in game 1, crushing Pacific's Jack by an 0-5 score to go up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 saw things get a little closer, but the Volcanoes' Jack was in trouble early and couldn't bounce back, with the Lumberjacks' Diddley winning 2-4 and moving to 2-0 in the series. Jack took game 3, a very close and thrilling game, by a 1-2 score, but also lost the series 2-1 to Diddley, who is set to face Diamond Gem Cassandra in the bracket quarterfinals with his #119 ranked bid.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Graham v. Spice. The short night session sees 12-ball played with the blue cue first of all. Eastside's Graham took game 1 with a four-ball run from the break pacing him, before coasting to victory as Victoria's Spice just couldn't close the gap in the end, making it a 1-0 series. The Sharks' Graham took game 2 as well, coming from behind with some bold shooting late aided by a costly scratch from the Spurs' Spice, who couldn't recover and lost the series at 2-0. Spice took game 3 fairly comfortably, working around the table to salvage a 2-1 series score. Graham, ranked #100 for 12-ball, will play Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Puff III. The name-heritage strikes again for the last 15-ball set with the silver cue in this round. Boston's Puff II didn't sink a ball in game 1, but she didn't have to when her snooker after the break induced an illegal potting of the 15 from Everton's Puff III on her first shot, giving the elder Puff the 1-0 lead. The Swifts' Puff II had to work a little harder in game 2, but she still vanquished the Eagles' Puff III in highlight fashion, scoring a 10-11-15 combination to the bottom left for the win to make it 2-0 in the series. Puff III salvaged one game, taking game 3 on a carom off the 6 that softly tapped the 15 to the top right for the win, leaving Puff II with a 2-1 series win. The #90 ranked 15-ball player, Puff II will face Boots of the Southridge Defenders in the bracket quarterfinals.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Delila. Two of the league's premier leaders oppose each other in 15-ball with the blue cue. Atlantic's Delila took game 1, failing to control play early but showing up well near the end of the game to capitalize on the mistakes from Westside's Misty to gain a 1-0 lead. The Pirates' Delila appeared to play better in game 2, but a late four-ball run by the Rockers' Misty shook her confidence, and a couple of mistakes later, Misty evened the series by putting the 15 in the bottom left. Misty easily had the better of play in game 3, but still had to battle for a tough pair of finishing shots, finally topping Delila for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #116 for 15-ball, Misty will oppose mentor and Lighton Prestige captain Acorn in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Jake. The red cue returns for 7-ball in the rural southeast. If you blinked, you missed game 1, as Dusty of Golden potted two on the break while scratching, allowing Royal's Jake to set up for a perfectly executed five-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake took little time in game 2 as well, performing a six-ball run-out to top the Pilots' Dusty for a 2-0 series lead. Most impressive in the run-out was Jake's shot on the 4, a masse shot he curled quite a bit around the 5 to glance the 4 into the top right, making it look effortless for the likely shot of the round. Two shots later, he banked the 6 to the bottom side, with the cue crossing the banking line in the difficult display of talent. Jake completed the 3-0 sweep with a game 3 win, allowing Dusty to do a five-ball run that ended in illegal contact before he knocked in the final two balls for the win. Ranked #129 for 7-ball, Jake will face Dusty's Pilots teammate Valencia in the bracket quarterfinals.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Marsell v. Kayla. The final series of the day is 10-ball with the red cue in the southeastern region. Royal's Marsell took game 1, running three balls at one point as he cruised to a 1-0 series lead over Queens' Kayla. The Crowns' Marsell claimed the series by winning game 2 on a ridiculous seven-ball run-out, stymieing the Flames' Kayla after just one minor mistake. Kayla got game 3 with a carom off the 3 to take the 10 to the top side, making it a 2-1 series win for Marsell. Ranked #104 for 10-ball, Marsell is set to face off with A. Charlton of the Golden Pilots in the bracket quarterfinals.
That's all for this two-days-in-one situation. We're back into playing rhythm, so the schedule should stabilize. Expect some SCL action tomorrow morning.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Pool: 2016 B-level First Round - Day 1
Welcome to the official first day of Tournament 2016 action. As you all well know by now, there are three cues and 33 teams, compared to two cues with 32 teams last year. This was done in an effort to incorporate all equipment. With the change in player enrollment (132 versus 128 last year), we return to a two-tiered format, and as we did in previous tiered years, we will begin with the lower tier. For any rules updates, please see the Rules page on the website. Also, I have officially nailed down the format for the Finals, which will not be a round-robin. The Finals will be conducted in a ladder system. This will work by taking the three finalists for each event and re-ranking them first through third by their record in the event. Should a tie arise, qualifier seeds will be the tiebreaker. The first match in a Finals set is the 2 v. 3 seeds, with the winner of the series advancing to oppose the 1 seed for the title. This setup rewards players for dominating throughout the bracket rather than just skating by, and also offers a definitive top-three ranking. Additionally, it preserves the integrity of all teams facing a roughly equal number of series losses (whereas a round-robin could see teams suffer two losses per finalist). With that all taken care of, the tournament begins in the lower tier. There are a total of ten players that will not play in this tier due to qualifying placing all of their bids in the A-level. The Tournament gets underway at...
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Crystal. The first series of the year is in 12-ball between a pair of southeastern regional rivals. Patches of Boston got the first game, weathering a late storm from Queens' Crystal by beating her to the bottom side for the final ball, taking a 1-0 series lead in the narrow win. The players are still working to shake off their early season rust. The Swifts' Patches took a 2-0 lead after game 2, working from behind after the Flames' Crystal worked a hot start, eventually inducing a missed contact play to take her final ball to the bottom right after using it for defense. Crystal salvaged game 3, winning after a four-ball run-out after surrendering a wild card ball to Patches, which made it 2-1 for the series. The #124 ranked 12-ball player Patches advances to the bracket quarterfinals against Taylor Swift of the Eastside Sharks.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Shadow. In 15-ball this time, Boston's Patches continues her assault on the Solid Core club, going for a doubleheader that features Web City Spiders captain Shadow. The Spiders' Shadow struck first, tapping the 15 in at the end of the game for 1-0 lead, after playing a pretty tight and even game with the Swifts' Patches throughout game 1. Patches tied the series at 1 in game 2, getting the bulk of late possession to top Shadow, and ending on a three-rail hit-and-hope shot on the 15 that found the top side to give her the game. Shadow took the series 2-1 on a tap-in of the 15 to the top right after a miss by Patches, a narrow ending to a very competitive series. Shadow is ranked #127 for 15-ball, and will travel to face Diamond Gems rookie Pedey in the bracket quarterfinals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Nicole. After two series with the red cue, the blue cue makes its debut in Rotation. Southern's Nicole held off a strong start by Capital City's Chris, dominating the game late to eventually win 8-5 on a three-ball run-out, with the win staking out a 1-0 series lead. Nicole made a bigger late run in game 2, shooting a six-ball run-out for her 8-2 victory in the game, as the Monarchs' supposed weak link topped the Sharpshooters captain Chris to clinch the series at 2-0. Nicole swept the series 3-0 in game 3, winning 8-7 in a very close game that went back and forth at the end before she finally took the last bit of possession to get the win. Nicole, ranked #114, is into the bracket quarterfinals against Dominic of the Atlantic Pirates.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Kiwi. The blue cue is up for 8-ball between twin sisters from the Youth Movement club. Terrace City's Kiwi took game 1 on a four-ball opening run and three-ball run-out, answering Watermelon of Pearl's three-ball run early on for the win, the first ever in Terrace City Knights franchise history, for a 1-0 lead. Watermelon evened things at 1 with a game 2 win for the Surfers, keeping pace with a hot-shooting Kiwi of the Knights to take the win with a modest two-ball run-out after a rough miss from Kiwi. Game 3 left no doubt for Watermelon, who dominated throughout over Kiwi for the win, taking the series 2-1. Ranked #123 in 8-ball, Watermelon will oppose Swordpoint Blades captain Snowball in the bracket quarterfinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. Pounce. The blue cue gets another series with 9-ball between two western teams. Pounce, the new Oceanside Wave, struck big in game 1, using a five-ball run-out to make Todavía's third-year player Leonardo look very weak, as Pounce pulled to a 1-0 series lead. Pounce went up 2-0 with a game 2 win, another five-ball run-out on four shots, as he double-potted the 4 and 5 to the bottom side and top right, respectively, as the opening shot to stun the Stills' Leonardo after a rough start to the game. Pounce iced the series at 3-0, running six balls from the break and owning possession throughout to top Leonardo again in a bit of a lopsided series. The #114 ranked 9-ball player, Pounce will face Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Watermelon. The game of 15-ball is back with the officially-sanctioned debut of the silver cue as a full-time stick in the southeast. Pearl's Watermelon took game 1, answering a three-ball run from Golden's Dusty by potting the 14 and 15 sharply for a 1-0 series lead in a game that Dusty had the better of play in. The Pilots' Dusty answered back in an even game 2, running out the final three balls after a scratch from the Surfers' Watermelon, which made it a very easy finish to knot the series at 1. Watermelon took game 3 on a kicking carom off the 3 to pot the 15 into the bottom right, stunning Dusty after two failed attempts at the 15 for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #113, Watermelon opposes Graham of the Eastside Sharks in the bracket quarterfinals round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. Delila. Another set of 12-ball is up, with the silver cue getting another nod. Frosty of Royal dominated game 1, running five balls from the break before applying a patient approach to the final ball, which came to her easily a few shots later after a modest attempt at a comeback from Atlantic's Delila fell short to make it 1-0 in the series. Frosty of the Crowns took a much closer game 2 with a late run of strong form to topple the Pirates' Delila again for a 2-0 series lead. Frosty returned to dominance in game 3, wasting little time in ripping off a four-ball run to bury Delila early before making her final shot to make it an official 3-0 series win. Frosty, ranked #123 in 12-ball, will face Leandra of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Charli XCX v. Chris. The game is once again 9-ball, with the blue cue again at the table, as Charli XCX makes her official debut in front of her home Tysini crowd. Capital City's Chris drew first blood though, as the Hummingbirds rookie Charli illegally potted the 9 to the bottom left, giving Chris a 1-0 series lead. Chris took game 2 himself, as the Sharpshooters captain cashed in on a lack of accuracy from Charli to have better form late in the game, earning a 2-0 lead in the series as well. Charli avoided the sweep, winning game 3 after Chris left the 9 short at the bottom right, making it a 2-1 final for the series. The #117 ranked 9-ball player, Chris, will oppose Cubby of the Maplewood Lumberjacks in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Frosty. On the other side of a locational doubleheader, we have the first ever competitive game of Accuracy, using the blue cue. Tysini's Leandra had a strong debut with her new team, winning 2-3 early in overtime of game 1, as Royal's Frosty blew a one-miss lead late and completed the collapse to go down 1-0 in the series in overtime. The Crowns' Frosty shot back with a big win in game 2, taking the game 3-4 after a late miss from the Hummingbirds' Leandra sealed the deal, making it a 1-1 series. Leandra took game 3 by a score of 2-3, weathering a late attempt from Frosty to secure the game in regulation and take the series 2-1. Ranked #111, Leandra opposes Todavía Stills captain Easter in the bracket quarterfinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Fluffina. The final series of the day is 15-ball with the silver cue, coming from the northern urban core. Maplewood's Fluffina had a highlight, using the 2 to attack the 8 and 12, which saw them go to the bottom left and top side, respectively, on the double-pot. Twinkie III of Whitewater took the game though, winning game 1 with a five-ball run-out that epitomizes peaking at the right time. In game 2, things were even until about halfway, where the Shores' Twinkie III took over with a four-ball run, and dominant play throughout the second half, capitalizing at the end when the Lumberjacks' Fluffina scratched while potting the 14 to create a tap-in on the 15 to make it a 2-0 series for Twinkie III. Fluffina salvaged a game with a win in game 3, making it 2-1 in the series after pulling off a four-ball run-out. The #111 ranked Twinkie III continues her 15-ball campaign against Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle in the bracket quarterfinals.
I hope you enjoyed the first of many Tournament 2016 game days, even if it was a tad short with only 30 games. There's much more to come in the next three weeks, and then sporadically for months after that. Additionally, I expect the UPCL 2015-2016 Cricket season to begin in about three to four weeks, which will help fill the void during the long breaks from pool. We'll be back tomorrow for more games.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Crystal. The first series of the year is in 12-ball between a pair of southeastern regional rivals. Patches of Boston got the first game, weathering a late storm from Queens' Crystal by beating her to the bottom side for the final ball, taking a 1-0 series lead in the narrow win. The players are still working to shake off their early season rust. The Swifts' Patches took a 2-0 lead after game 2, working from behind after the Flames' Crystal worked a hot start, eventually inducing a missed contact play to take her final ball to the bottom right after using it for defense. Crystal salvaged game 3, winning after a four-ball run-out after surrendering a wild card ball to Patches, which made it 2-1 for the series. The #124 ranked 12-ball player Patches advances to the bracket quarterfinals against Taylor Swift of the Eastside Sharks.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Shadow. In 15-ball this time, Boston's Patches continues her assault on the Solid Core club, going for a doubleheader that features Web City Spiders captain Shadow. The Spiders' Shadow struck first, tapping the 15 in at the end of the game for 1-0 lead, after playing a pretty tight and even game with the Swifts' Patches throughout game 1. Patches tied the series at 1 in game 2, getting the bulk of late possession to top Shadow, and ending on a three-rail hit-and-hope shot on the 15 that found the top side to give her the game. Shadow took the series 2-1 on a tap-in of the 15 to the top right after a miss by Patches, a narrow ending to a very competitive series. Shadow is ranked #127 for 15-ball, and will travel to face Diamond Gems rookie Pedey in the bracket quarterfinals.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Nicole. After two series with the red cue, the blue cue makes its debut in Rotation. Southern's Nicole held off a strong start by Capital City's Chris, dominating the game late to eventually win 8-5 on a three-ball run-out, with the win staking out a 1-0 series lead. Nicole made a bigger late run in game 2, shooting a six-ball run-out for her 8-2 victory in the game, as the Monarchs' supposed weak link topped the Sharpshooters captain Chris to clinch the series at 2-0. Nicole swept the series 3-0 in game 3, winning 8-7 in a very close game that went back and forth at the end before she finally took the last bit of possession to get the win. Nicole, ranked #114, is into the bracket quarterfinals against Dominic of the Atlantic Pirates.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Kiwi. The blue cue is up for 8-ball between twin sisters from the Youth Movement club. Terrace City's Kiwi took game 1 on a four-ball opening run and three-ball run-out, answering Watermelon of Pearl's three-ball run early on for the win, the first ever in Terrace City Knights franchise history, for a 1-0 lead. Watermelon evened things at 1 with a game 2 win for the Surfers, keeping pace with a hot-shooting Kiwi of the Knights to take the win with a modest two-ball run-out after a rough miss from Kiwi. Game 3 left no doubt for Watermelon, who dominated throughout over Kiwi for the win, taking the series 2-1. Ranked #123 in 8-ball, Watermelon will oppose Swordpoint Blades captain Snowball in the bracket quarterfinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. Pounce. The blue cue gets another series with 9-ball between two western teams. Pounce, the new Oceanside Wave, struck big in game 1, using a five-ball run-out to make Todavía's third-year player Leonardo look very weak, as Pounce pulled to a 1-0 series lead. Pounce went up 2-0 with a game 2 win, another five-ball run-out on four shots, as he double-potted the 4 and 5 to the bottom side and top right, respectively, as the opening shot to stun the Stills' Leonardo after a rough start to the game. Pounce iced the series at 3-0, running six balls from the break and owning possession throughout to top Leonardo again in a bit of a lopsided series. The #114 ranked 9-ball player, Pounce will face Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades in the bracket quarterfinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Watermelon. The game of 15-ball is back with the officially-sanctioned debut of the silver cue as a full-time stick in the southeast. Pearl's Watermelon took game 1, answering a three-ball run from Golden's Dusty by potting the 14 and 15 sharply for a 1-0 series lead in a game that Dusty had the better of play in. The Pilots' Dusty answered back in an even game 2, running out the final three balls after a scratch from the Surfers' Watermelon, which made it a very easy finish to knot the series at 1. Watermelon took game 3 on a kicking carom off the 3 to pot the 15 into the bottom right, stunning Dusty after two failed attempts at the 15 for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #113, Watermelon opposes Graham of the Eastside Sharks in the bracket quarterfinals round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. Delila. Another set of 12-ball is up, with the silver cue getting another nod. Frosty of Royal dominated game 1, running five balls from the break before applying a patient approach to the final ball, which came to her easily a few shots later after a modest attempt at a comeback from Atlantic's Delila fell short to make it 1-0 in the series. Frosty of the Crowns took a much closer game 2 with a late run of strong form to topple the Pirates' Delila again for a 2-0 series lead. Frosty returned to dominance in game 3, wasting little time in ripping off a four-ball run to bury Delila early before making her final shot to make it an official 3-0 series win. Frosty, ranked #123 in 12-ball, will face Leandra of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Charli XCX v. Chris. The game is once again 9-ball, with the blue cue again at the table, as Charli XCX makes her official debut in front of her home Tysini crowd. Capital City's Chris drew first blood though, as the Hummingbirds rookie Charli illegally potted the 9 to the bottom left, giving Chris a 1-0 series lead. Chris took game 2 himself, as the Sharpshooters captain cashed in on a lack of accuracy from Charli to have better form late in the game, earning a 2-0 lead in the series as well. Charli avoided the sweep, winning game 3 after Chris left the 9 short at the bottom right, making it a 2-1 final for the series. The #117 ranked 9-ball player, Chris, will oppose Cubby of the Maplewood Lumberjacks in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Frosty. On the other side of a locational doubleheader, we have the first ever competitive game of Accuracy, using the blue cue. Tysini's Leandra had a strong debut with her new team, winning 2-3 early in overtime of game 1, as Royal's Frosty blew a one-miss lead late and completed the collapse to go down 1-0 in the series in overtime. The Crowns' Frosty shot back with a big win in game 2, taking the game 3-4 after a late miss from the Hummingbirds' Leandra sealed the deal, making it a 1-1 series. Leandra took game 3 by a score of 2-3, weathering a late attempt from Frosty to secure the game in regulation and take the series 2-1. Ranked #111, Leandra opposes Todavía Stills captain Easter in the bracket quarterfinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Fluffina. The final series of the day is 15-ball with the silver cue, coming from the northern urban core. Maplewood's Fluffina had a highlight, using the 2 to attack the 8 and 12, which saw them go to the bottom left and top side, respectively, on the double-pot. Twinkie III of Whitewater took the game though, winning game 1 with a five-ball run-out that epitomizes peaking at the right time. In game 2, things were even until about halfway, where the Shores' Twinkie III took over with a four-ball run, and dominant play throughout the second half, capitalizing at the end when the Lumberjacks' Fluffina scratched while potting the 14 to create a tap-in on the 15 to make it a 2-0 series for Twinkie III. Fluffina salvaged a game with a win in game 3, making it 2-1 in the series after pulling off a four-ball run-out. The #111 ranked Twinkie III continues her 15-ball campaign against Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle in the bracket quarterfinals.
I hope you enjoyed the first of many Tournament 2016 game days, even if it was a tad short with only 30 games. There's much more to come in the next three weeks, and then sporadically for months after that. Additionally, I expect the UPCL 2015-2016 Cricket season to begin in about three to four weeks, which will help fill the void during the long breaks from pool. We'll be back tomorrow for more games.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
2016 Qualifiers - Analysis
I will warn you, there is about to be a very long graph attached in this post. I think it's fair to get all the data out there for the player portion. For clarification of some of the terms as the column labels on the graph, errors refer to any illegal contact, missed contact, scratches, illegally potted balls, or ball off table fouls that earned a penalty of one shot tacked onto the player's score. A Raw Total is the player's total shots minus errors, and the Error Proportion refers to the percentage of shots that were charged, not taken, in the player's total. The grade offers a stratification (based on five-shot intervals) to define comparable performance between players, and is color-coded for simplicity, with gold, silver, and bronze being elite, and the rest from excellent to catastrophic fading from a cool blue to a bright red. The Change column shows the theoretical change in rank if errors were removed from the equation. A player with a blue-shaded change improved their rank, a gray-shaded change stayed mostly neutral, and a red-shaded change dropped in rank. Now, here's to the graph.
At the bottom you'll find the average, standard deviation, and total for the actual scores, errors, and raw scores. For the actual scores (which are the only ones that matter, as they are used for tiebreaking purposes in individual game ranking), the scores break down like this into intervals.
The data, as you can infer (I made a chart, but it won't copy in), follows a roughly normal distribution, with a slight left skew. This makes the well-ranked players (we're talking top 20 or so) a little more quick to pile up than the bottom five intervals, which delineate more shot intervals, but feature fewer players.
Now, we have a table for the cues. For the sake of simplicity here, I will only post total shots for each individual game, and combined. The average can be inferred, dividing the total shots by 352 games in the overall total, and by 44 in each individual total. The 352 is the number of games shot by each cue, while the 44 is the number of games shot by each cue in each specific event. The table would be too cluttered if we examined these separately, and the standard deviation and consistency metrics involved are fascinating but not relevant to the purpose of analyzing the shots patterns.
As the data shows here, the blue cue was approximately 1.23 shots per game better than the red cue, across all competitions, and 0.61 shots per game better than the silver cue, which logically leaves the silver cue about 0.62 shots per game better than the red cue. What this indicates is a general tendency for the blue cue players ranked in the mid-30s for their event and cue to feel, pardon the pun, shafted. The silver cue is most representative of the average player, coming just about two hundred-thousandths short of a perfectly proportional mark. The blue cue is significantly better, while the red cue is significantly worse, in general. The most interesting locations for dissent in this occur in 8-ball, which favored the silver cue most, but to an extent of less than one shot per game, which should not cause too much chaos. In 15-ball, the silver cue is a heavy favorite, with red and blue players likely getting the advantage of sneaking into a top-32. The most statistically tight game is 10-ball, with the distribution pattern opposite of the expected pattern as well.
With that rousing statistical discussion covered, the next two days involve some heavy work for me, as bracket formation and first-round matchups for A and B-level play will be determined and transcribed into all resources tomorrow and Friday. The first table in this post should assist you in determining which players you should most pay attention to this season, as well as which players may face an uphill climb. The Errors column is also a fantastic resource, as it shows the players who will likely struggle in competition more by giving their opponent free possession most often. With about 1.5 errors per game, the difference between a win and a loss could be being the only one to make an error or two in the game. If you'd like to proffer questions to me about the data provided, I'll gladly accept any and all comments.
| Player | Rank | Total | Grade | Errors | Raw Total | Error prop | Revised rank | Change | Revised Grade |
| Wild Thing | 1 | 126 | A++ | 6 | 120 | 4.76% | 1 | 0 | A+ |
| Paige | 2 | 131 | A+ | 4 | 127 | 3.05% | 4 | -2 | A+ |
| Lydia | 3 | 131 | A+ | 7 | 124 | 5.34% | 3 | 0 | A+ |
| Americus | 4 | 134 | A+ | 11 | 123 | 8.21% | 2 | 2 | A+ |
| Juno | 5 | 137 | A+ | 6 | 131 | 4.38% | 7 | -2 | A |
| Ms. Puppy | 6 | 138 | A+ | 8 | 130 | 5.80% | 5 | 1 | A |
| Amber | 7 | 138 | A+ | 8 | 130 | 5.80% | 6 | 1 | A |
| Cheddar | 8 | 141 | A | 8 | 133 | 5.67% | 11 | -3 | A |
| Twinkie II | 9 | 143 | A | 2 | 141 | 1.40% | 29 | -20 | B+ |
| Mams | 10 | 143 | A | 11 | 132 | 7.69% | 9 | 1 | A |
| Gradley | 11 | 144 | A | 6 | 138 | 4.17% | 15 | -4 | A- |
| Sierra | 12 | 144 | A | 12 | 132 | 8.33% | 10 | 2 | A |
| Sugar | 13 | 145 | A- | 14 | 131 | 9.66% | 8 | 5 | A |
| Chelsea | 14 | 146 | A- | 7 | 139 | 4.79% | 18 | -4 | A- |
| Shiny | 15 | 147 | A- | 8 | 139 | 5.44% | 19 | -4 | A- |
| Acorn | 16 | 147 | A- | 9 | 138 | 6.12% | 16 | 0 | A- |
| Pedey | 17 | 147 | A- | 12 | 135 | 8.16% | 12 | 5 | A- |
| Shawn | 18 | 148 | A- | 9 | 139 | 6.08% | 20 | -2 | A- |
| Citrus | 19 | 148 | A- | 8 | 140 | 5.41% | 26 | -7 | B+ |
| Twilight | 20 | 148 | A- | 8 | 140 | 5.41% | 27 | -7 | B+ |
| Yekaterina Vasilyeva | 21 | 148 | A- | 12 | 136 | 8.11% | 14 | 7 | A- |
| Roxy | 22 | 149 | A- | 10 | 139 | 6.71% | 21 | 1 | A- |
| Jack | 23 | 149 | A- | 7 | 142 | 4.70% | 31 | -8 | B+ |
| Leonardo | 24 | 150 | B+ | 11 | 139 | 7.33% | 22 | 2 | A- |
| Max | 25 | 150 | B+ | 15 | 135 | 10.00% | 13 | 12 | A- |
| Misty | 26 | 150 | B+ | 7 | 143 | 4.67% | 34 | -8 | B+ |
| Dreamy | 27 | 150 | B+ | 12 | 138 | 8.00% | 17 | 10 | A- |
| B. Chapman | 28 | 151 | B+ | 11 | 140 | 7.28% | 28 | 0 | B+ |
| Marsell | 29 | 151 | B+ | 12 | 139 | 7.95% | 23 | 6 | A- |
| Mr. Snowman | 30 | 151 | B+ | 12 | 139 | 7.95% | 24 | 6 | A- |
| Dusky | 31 | 151 | B+ | 6 | 145 | 3.97% | 37 | -6 | B |
| Nikolai | 32 | 152 | B+ | 10 | 142 | 6.58% | 32 | 0 | B+ |
| Taylor Swift | 33 | 153 | B+ | 7 | 146 | 4.58% | 39 | -6 | B |
| Dustin | 34 | 153 | B+ | 12 | 141 | 7.84% | 30 | 4 | B+ |
| Cubby | 35 | 154 | B+ | 15 | 139 | 9.74% | 25 | 10 | A- |
| Neopolitan | 36 | 154 | B+ | 9 | 145 | 5.84% | 38 | -2 | B |
| Ice Cream | 37 | 154 | B+ | 7 | 147 | 4.55% | 46 | -9 | B |
| Kelly | 38 | 155 | B | 13 | 142 | 8.39% | 33 | 5 | B+ |
| Chimpy | 39 | 155 | B | 9 | 146 | 5.81% | 40 | -1 | B |
| Nicole | 40 | 156 | B | 13 | 143 | 8.33% | 35 | 5 | B+ |
| Goatee | 41 | 156 | B | 10 | 146 | 6.41% | 41 | 0 | B |
| Princess | 42 | 157 | B | 11 | 146 | 7.01% | 42 | 0 | B |
| Kirstin | 43 | 157 | B | 8 | 149 | 5.10% | 53 | -10 | B |
| Oreo | 44 | 157 | B | 9 | 148 | 5.73% | 48 | -4 | B |
| Puff I | 45 | 157 | B | 13 | 144 | 8.28% | 36 | 9 | B+ |
| Graham | 46 | 158 | B | 10 | 148 | 6.33% | 49 | -3 | B |
| Alyssa | 47 | 158 | B | 12 | 146 | 7.59% | 43 | 4 | B |
| Paps | 48 | 159 | B | 12 | 147 | 7.55% | 47 | 1 | B |
| Boots | 49 | 159 | B | 13 | 146 | 8.18% | 44 | 5 | B |
| Panda | 50 | 160 | B- | 10 | 150 | 6.25% | 57 | -7 | B- |
| Dominic | 51 | 160 | B- | 8 | 152 | 5.00% | 64 | -13 | B- |
| Zach | 52 | 160 | B- | 12 | 148 | 7.50% | 50 | 2 | B |
| Twinkie III | 53 | 160 | B- | 12 | 148 | 7.50% | 51 | 2 | B |
| Chicky Phil | 54 | 161 | B- | 11 | 150 | 6.83% | 58 | -4 | B- |
| Sweetheart | 55 | 161 | B- | 12 | 149 | 7.45% | 54 | 1 | B |
| Strut | 56 | 161 | B- | 12 | 149 | 7.45% | 55 | 1 | B |
| Shaggy | 57 | 161 | B- | 8 | 153 | 4.97% | 66 | -9 | B- |
| Stripes | 58 | 162 | B- | 16 | 146 | 9.88% | 45 | 13 | B |
| Cassandra | 59 | 162 | B- | 12 | 150 | 7.41% | 59 | 0 | B- |
| Puff II | 60 | 162 | B- | 13 | 149 | 8.02% | 56 | 4 | B |
| Twinkie I | 61 | 162 | B- | 11 | 151 | 6.79% | 61 | 0 | B- |
| Diddley | 62 | 162 | B- | 14 | 148 | 8.64% | 52 | 10 | B |
| Shannon | 63 | 163 | B- | 11 | 152 | 6.75% | 65 | -2 | B- |
| Precious | 64 | 163 | B- | 7 | 156 | 4.29% | 80 | -16 | C+ |
| Bear | 65 | 164 | B- | 11 | 153 | 6.71% | 67 | -2 | B- |
| Starlight | 66 | 164 | B- | 13 | 151 | 7.93% | 62 | 4 | B- |
| Ruby | 67 | 164 | B- | 11 | 153 | 6.71% | 68 | -1 | B- |
| Kavan | 68 | 165 | C+ | 8 | 157 | 4.85% | 83 | -15 | C+ |
| Leonette | 69 | 165 | C+ | 11 | 154 | 6.67% | 72 | -3 | B- |
| Ms. Kitty | 70 | 165 | C+ | 10 | 155 | 6.06% | 75 | -5 | C+ |
| Bells | 71 | 165 | C+ | 10 | 155 | 6.06% | 76 | -5 | C+ |
| Pounce | 72 | 165 | C+ | 5 | 160 | 3.03% | 97 | -25 | C |
| Whiskers | 73 | 165 | C+ | 15 | 150 | 9.09% | 60 | 13 | B- |
| Shelley | 74 | 165 | C+ | 12 | 153 | 7.27% | 69 | 5 | B- |
| Bright | 75 | 165 | C+ | 11 | 154 | 6.67% | 73 | 2 | B- |
| Nightfur | 76 | 166 | C+ | 13 | 153 | 7.83% | 70 | 6 | B- |
| Leandra | 77 | 166 | C+ | 15 | 151 | 9.04% | 63 | 14 | B- |
| Watermelon | 78 | 166 | C+ | 7 | 159 | 4.22% | 91 | -13 | C+ |
| Brownie | 79 | 166 | C+ | 11 | 155 | 6.63% | 77 | 2 | C+ |
| Lorde | 80 | 167 | C+ | 6 | 161 | 3.59% | 100 | -20 | C |
| Strawberry | 81 | 167 | C+ | 9 | 158 | 5.39% | 86 | -5 | C+ |
| Hoot | 82 | 168 | C+ | 9 | 159 | 5.36% | 92 | -10 | C+ |
| Dani | 83 | 168 | C+ | 15 | 153 | 8.93% | 71 | 12 | B- |
| Spice | 84 | 168 | C+ | 10 | 158 | 5.95% | 87 | -3 | C+ |
| Slinks | 85 | 168 | C+ | 8 | 160 | 4.76% | 98 | -13 | C |
| Kayla | 86 | 168 | C+ | 13 | 155 | 7.74% | 78 | 8 | C+ |
| Shadow | 87 | 168 | C+ | 6 | 162 | 3.57% | 105 | -18 | C |
| Gizmo | 88 | 169 | C+ | 10 | 159 | 5.92% | 93 | -5 | C+ |
| Smudge | 89 | 170 | C | 12 | 158 | 7.06% | 88 | 1 | C+ |
| Rainmane | 90 | 170 | C | 12 | 158 | 7.06% | 89 | 1 | C+ |
| Valencia | 91 | 171 | C | 16 | 155 | 9.36% | 79 | 12 | C+ |
| Cowzart | 92 | 171 | C | 14 | 157 | 8.19% | 84 | 8 | C+ |
| Wings | 93 | 171 | C | 10 | 161 | 5.85% | 101 | -8 | C |
| Gabe | 94 | 171 | C | 14 | 157 | 8.19% | 85 | 9 | C+ |
| Snuggle | 95 | 171 | C | 10 | 161 | 5.85% | 102 | -7 | C |
| Stinky | 96 | 172 | C | 13 | 159 | 7.56% | 94 | 2 | C+ |
| Sydney Sierota | 97 | 172 | C | 18 | 154 | 10.47% | 74 | 23 | B- |
| Stealth | 98 | 172 | C | 10 | 162 | 5.81% | 106 | -8 | C |
| Kiwi | 99 | 173 | C | 9 | 164 | 5.20% | 111 | -12 | C |
| Sparkles | 100 | 173 | C | 13 | 160 | 7.51% | 99 | 1 | C |
| Smokey | 101 | 173 | C | 12 | 161 | 6.94% | 103 | -2 | C |
| Goldy | 102 | 174 | C | 12 | 162 | 6.90% | 107 | -5 | C |
| J. Garcia | 103 | 174 | C | 18 | 156 | 10.34% | 81 | 22 | C+ |
| Missy | 104 | 174 | C | 18 | 156 | 10.34% | 82 | 22 | C+ |
| Dusty | 105 | 174 | C | 12 | 162 | 6.90% | 108 | -3 | C |
| Spirit | 106 | 174 | C | 9 | 165 | 5.17% | 114 | -8 | C- |
| Sleepy B. | 107 | 175 | C- | 8 | 167 | 4.57% | 118 | -11 | C- |
| Sally | 108 | 175 | C- | 17 | 158 | 9.71% | 90 | 18 | C+ |
| Midnight | 109 | 175 | C- | 11 | 164 | 6.29% | 112 | -3 | C |
| Tigerette | 110 | 176 | C- | 14 | 162 | 7.95% | 109 | 1 | C |
| Sprinkles | 111 | 176 | C- | 17 | 159 | 9.66% | 95 | 16 | C+ |
| Patches | 112 | 177 | C- | 16 | 161 | 9.04% | 104 | 8 | C |
| Jake | 113 | 178 | C- | 10 | 168 | 5.62% | 120 | -7 | C- |
| Chris | 114 | 178 | C- | 14 | 164 | 7.87% | 113 | 1 | C |
| Lionel | 115 | 178 | C- | 15 | 163 | 8.43% | 110 | 5 | C |
| Frosty | 116 | 179 | C- | 20 | 159 | 11.17% | 96 | 20 | C+ |
| Crystal | 117 | 179 | C- | 12 | 167 | 6.70% | 119 | -2 | C- |
| Blizzard | 118 | 180 | D+ | 14 | 166 | 7.78% | 117 | 1 | C- |
| Jennifer Livilotti | 119 | 180 | D+ | 9 | 171 | 5.00% | 124 | -5 | D+ |
| Fluffina | 120 | 183 | D+ | 13 | 170 | 7.10% | 123 | -3 | D+ |
| Cleo | 121 | 185 | D | 14 | 171 | 7.57% | 125 | -4 | D+ |
| Delila | 122 | 185 | D | 20 | 165 | 10.81% | 115 | 7 | C- |
| A. Charlton | 123 | 185 | D | 14 | 171 | 7.57% | 126 | -3 | D+ |
| Jasmine | 124 | 186 | D | 18 | 168 | 9.68% | 121 | 3 | C- |
| Noelle | 125 | 186 | D | 21 | 165 | 11.29% | 116 | 9 | C- |
| Easter | 126 | 186 | D | 10 | 176 | 5.38% | 129 | -3 | D |
| Puff III | 127 | 188 | D | 16 | 172 | 8.51% | 127 | 0 | D+ |
| Charli XCX | 128 | 188 | D | 19 | 169 | 10.11% | 122 | 6 | C- |
| Debby Ryan | 129 | 192 | D- | 17 | 175 | 8.85% | 128 | 1 | D |
| Niki | 130 | 195 | F+ | 14 | 181 | 7.18% | 130 | 0 | D- |
| Bryant | 131 | 198 | F+ | 14 | 184 | 7.07% | 131 | 0 | D- |
| Snowball | 132 | 205 | F- | 16 | 189 | 7.80% | 132 | 0 | F+ |
| 163.30 | 11.40 | 151.89 | 6.93% | ||||||
| 14.44 | 3.49 | 12.72 | |||||||
| 21555 | 1505 | 20050 | 6.98% |
At the bottom you'll find the average, standard deviation, and total for the actual scores, errors, and raw scores. For the actual scores (which are the only ones that matter, as they are used for tiebreaking purposes in individual game ranking), the scores break down like this into intervals.
| Interval | Frequency |
| <129 | 1 |
| 130-139 | 6 |
| 140-144 | 5 |
| 145-149 | 11 |
| 150-154 | 14 |
| 155-159 | 12 |
| 160-164 | 18 |
| 165-169 | 21 |
| 170-174 | 18 |
| 175-179 | 11 |
| 180-184 | 3 |
| 185-189 | 8 |
| 190-194 | 1 |
| 195-199 | 2 |
| >200 | 1 |
The data, as you can infer (I made a chart, but it won't copy in), follows a roughly normal distribution, with a slight left skew. This makes the well-ranked players (we're talking top 20 or so) a little more quick to pile up than the bottom five intervals, which delineate more shot intervals, but feature fewer players.
Now, we have a table for the cues. For the sake of simplicity here, I will only post total shots for each individual game, and combined. The average can be inferred, dividing the total shots by 352 games in the overall total, and by 44 in each individual total. The 352 is the number of games shot by each cue, while the 44 is the number of games shot by each cue in each specific event. The table would be too cluttered if we examined these separately, and the standard deviation and consistency metrics involved are fascinating but not relevant to the purpose of analyzing the shots patterns.
| Red | Blue | Silver | Total | |
| 7-ball | 572 | 440 | 519 | 1531 |
| 8-ball | 974 | 991 | 950 | 2915 |
| 9-ball | 641 | 570 | 641 | 1852 |
| 10-ball | 759 | 774 | 798 | 2331 |
| 12-ball | 1018 | 880 | 997 | 2895 |
| Rotation | 1302 | 1234 | 1280 | 3816 |
| 15-ball | 1252 | 1232 | 1072 | 3556 |
| Accuracy | 884 | 848 | 927 | 2659 |
| Combined | 7402 | 6969 | 7184 | 21555 |
As the data shows here, the blue cue was approximately 1.23 shots per game better than the red cue, across all competitions, and 0.61 shots per game better than the silver cue, which logically leaves the silver cue about 0.62 shots per game better than the red cue. What this indicates is a general tendency for the blue cue players ranked in the mid-30s for their event and cue to feel, pardon the pun, shafted. The silver cue is most representative of the average player, coming just about two hundred-thousandths short of a perfectly proportional mark. The blue cue is significantly better, while the red cue is significantly worse, in general. The most interesting locations for dissent in this occur in 8-ball, which favored the silver cue most, but to an extent of less than one shot per game, which should not cause too much chaos. In 15-ball, the silver cue is a heavy favorite, with red and blue players likely getting the advantage of sneaking into a top-32. The most statistically tight game is 10-ball, with the distribution pattern opposite of the expected pattern as well.
With that rousing statistical discussion covered, the next two days involve some heavy work for me, as bracket formation and first-round matchups for A and B-level play will be determined and transcribed into all resources tomorrow and Friday. The first table in this post should assist you in determining which players you should most pay attention to this season, as well as which players may face an uphill climb. The Errors column is also a fantastic resource, as it shows the players who will likely struggle in competition more by giving their opponent free possession most often. With about 1.5 errors per game, the difference between a win and a loss could be being the only one to make an error or two in the game. If you'd like to proffer questions to me about the data provided, I'll gladly accept any and all comments.
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