Tournament 2019 - Bracket Finals Day 3

The last day with brackets involved is here. We've got the last nine series divided by cues ready to go, beginning with...

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Lorde v. Isabella. The blue cue's Accuracy title is on the line here. A close and quality start to game 1 left little margin for error. Capital City's Lorde learned that the hard way with a pair of misses, allowing Atlantic's Isabella to take the series lead at 1-0 on a 1-2 win. The Pirates' Isabella nearly ruined game 2 with a double-pot, but she made a bank on the 11 to force overtime. Here, the Sharpshooters' Lorde tried a soft break to stuff Isabella early, and the visitor missed again on her third shot to take the loss. Lorde won 2-3 and tied the series at 1. Isabella couldn't regain her form in game 3, while Lorde found a new level in a 1-3 win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Lorde made a pair from the break and a double-pot on her second shot in game 4, keeping a fast pace throughout. Isabella was fine with it until a scratch and a late miss put her behind, and Lorde locked it up at 1-2 to seal the series at 3-1. Game 5 had a similar ending to game 2, but Lorde's overtime soft break didn't work this time. Isabella converted a ball and won 1-2 to make it a 3-2 series win in Lorde's favor. On the bracket, Lorde had a 16-8 record to get to the Finals. Lorde's first kill of the season made Isabella the 149th eliminated player.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Panda. The blue cue stays in action for 9-ball. Maplewood's Whiskers started strong in game 1, but she faded with missed contact on the 6. Southern's Panda attacked for a three-ball run-out to get the win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers was better in game 2, but she missed her cut attempt on the 9 toward the top left, and the Monarchs' Panda picked it off for the win to pull ahead 2-0 in the series. Whiskers wasn't strong enough on her shots in game 3 to keep the series up for grabs. Panda attacked on a late four-ball run-out this time, the surge propelling him to the win that sealed the series at 3-0. Panda silenced what was left of Whiskers' home crowd by draining the 9 to the bottom right on the break in game 4, stretching his own series lead to 4-0. Panda completed the sweep with a win in game 5 after Whiskers missed a 7-9 combination to the bottom right. Panda converted the same shot to the same place to take the series 5-0. He went 19-5 on the bracket. Panda has two kills now, and Whiskers is the 150th player out of the Tournament. It also served to make the Lumberjacks the 13th eliminated team, and they'll likely miss the City Cup Playoffs as a result.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Steven. More 9-ball is on the way with the red cue. Atlantic's Steven started slow in game 1, but he found a five-ball run-out after Archtown's Sally faltered on a couple of shots. Steven's late push puts him ahead 1-0 in the series. The Arrows' Sally came up with the win in game 2 after a cagey battle for the 6-9 combination that saw both players miss it once each. The Pirates' Steven left it short for Sally to tap in as she tied the series at 1. Sally quickly doubled down in game 3, making a trio of balls on the break that included the 1 at the bottom side, the 4 at the top right, and the 9 at the bottom right for the win. Sally now leads Steven 2-1 in the series. Sally didn't strike as early in game 4, waiting until her second turn after Steven couldn't convert on the 1. Sally deflected a shot off the 1 with the intent to make the 4 at the top right, but the 1 combined on the 9 at the bottom side for the win instead. This secured the series in Sally's favor at 3-1. Sally finished quickly again in game 5, potting the 8 to the top left on the break and adding a double-pot of the 1 to the top side and the 9 to the bottom side on the next shot. Sally beat Steven 4-1 in the series to go 17-7 on the bracket in advancing to the Finals. Sally has three kills, and Steven is the 151st eliminated player, as well as the Pirates being the 14th team out action.

Intel Center, Diamond: Shadow v. Citrus. A former Gem visits a current one in 15-ball with the silver cue. Lighton's Citrus made a big impact on offense in game 1, but she couldn't finish it off. Diamond's Shadow took the last two balls for the win and 1-0 series lead after weathering Citrus' fierce attack. The Gems' Shadow was more involved in a pacey game 2, including his five-ball run over the middle. The Prestige's Citrus shot back on a five-ball run-out of her own for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw both players have moments to shine, especially as Citrus paced the offense in the middle-to-late parts of the game. She fell off late, and Shadow won with a three-ball run-out to regain the series lead at 2-1. Shadow clinched the series with another three-ball run-out at the end of game 4, again playing patiently as Citrus wore herself out. Shadow's victory put him ahead 3-1 in the series. Shadow actually controlled the pace of play in game 5, and Citrus couldn't really do anything to change it. Shadow had a five-ball run and ended with a pair for the win and 4-1 series win to get into the Finals on a 14-7 record from a top-seed position.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Citrus v. Kodiak. The host completes her doubleheader in 13-ball with the blue cue. Lighton's Citrus made a pair on the break despite an overfill foul in game 1. Modernistic's Kodiak tried to catch up, but he didn't come close as Citrus grabbed a 1-0 series lead with a pair of shots at the end. The Prestige's Citrus couldn't get the same spark at the start of game 2, as the Union's Kodiak controlled this one. Kodiak had a scratch to work around, but he banked the 5 to the bottom right and put the 8 in the top left for the win to tie the series at 1. Citrus had a five-ball run in game 3, which was stunted by a later scratch that made things a bit close. Kodiak couldn't solve his positioning problem in time, and Citrus earned the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Game 4 had offense on both sides, with Citrus making a three-ball run from the break. Kodiak also found a three-ball run to keep it close, but Citrus was better at the end to get the win that sealed the series at 3-1. Citrus finally got another win in game 5 after an unnecessarily tense battle with Kodiak involving tight defense at the top side. Citrus won this series 4-1 to get into the Finals with a 19-5 record from the bracket. Citrus grabbed her third kill of the season, and Kodiak is the 152nd eliminated player, Outcast is the first eliminated club, and the Union are the 15th team to run out of bids.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Leonardo. The silver cue cycles back in for Accuracy. Harrison's Twinkie II wasn't great at first in game 1, but Diamond's Leonardo had a late fade after a similar start. Twinkie II ended up with a 2-5 win that gave her a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II buried her game 2 effort with a pair of early scratches. She couldn't correct course in time, and the Gems' Leonardo coasted to a 4-5 win to tie the series at 1. Twinkie II hit the skids in the middle of game 3, the brutal stretch including a scratch that ruined her performance. Leonardo was strong enough to seal a 2-4 win and pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Leonardo made three balls on the break of game 4, shortening the battle drastically. He stayed perfect after that, and Twinkie II fell apart at the end as Leonardo won 0-3 to secure the series at 3-1. In game 5, Twinkie II started slow but otherwise played well despite Leonardo doing enough to win 1-2. Leonardo took the series 4-1 and enters the Finals with a 19-5 record. Leonardo's second kill of the season was a triple-play, as Twinkie II is the 153rd player to fall, as well as Reality being the second club and the Specters as the 16th team.

FedEx Arena, Eastside: Cubby v. Marsell. Club-mates clash in the blue cue's bracket finale, in 7-ball. Eastside's Cubby kept Whitewater's Marsell from the table in game 1, making a pair on the break and adding a 1-7 combination double-pot to the top side on the next shot. Cubby leads the series 1-0. The Shores' Marsell did alright when given a chance to shoot in game 2, but he missed on the 7 at the top left. The Sharks' Cubby picked it off for the win, moving ahead 2-0 in the series. Marsell kept himself in the series with a five-ball run-out after Cubby's early scratch in game 3. Marsell's victory cut the series to 2-1. Marsell picked up another five-ball run-out after another mixed start with Cubby. The players struggled at first until Marsell's surge tied the series at 2. Marsell had a pair early in game 5 and also made the 4 but left the 5 at the top left. In close quarters, Cubby dug out the final pair for the win and 3-2 series win that got him to the Finals. Cubby finished the bracket at 17-7. Marsell is the 154th player to exit the Tournament, and the Shores are the 17th team eliminated.

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Mitchell v. Cheddar. The silver cue makes its exit for the round in 9-ball. North Modernistic's Cheddar showed little mercy at the end of game 1, winning with a four-ball run-out to take the 1-0 series lead over Victoria's Mitchell. The Nighthawks' Cheddar retained a majority of possession in game 2, including a four-ball run. The Spurs' Mitchell had a late chance to fight back, but his miss on the 9 set up Cheddar for a cut-shot to win it, and she did. Cheddar is ahead 2-0 in the series. Mitchell finally found his offense in game 3, ripping a five-ball run and adding a pair on the final turn to get the win over Cheddar, who remained ahead 2-1 in the series despite the loss. Mitchell had a similarly strong attack in game 4, again with a five-ball run in the middle. Cheddar tried and failed to bank the 8 to the top right, and Mitchell made the final pair for the win to tie the series at 2 games each. Game 5 turned a bit cagey when the 6-9 combination became apparently lined up. Neither player wanted to miss ahead of the 6, but Mitchell did, and Cheddar put the combination in the top right for the win and 3-2 series win. Cheddar went 16-8 on the bracket to get to the Finals. She earned her third kill to make Mitchell the 155th eliminated player, as well as the Spurs being the 18th ousted team and Humanity Junior the third club to fall.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Precious. The marquee match of the round is the finale, using the red cue in 10-ball. North Modernistic's Cheddar had a bit more flair than usual in game 1, but it didn't work out. Pronger's Precious ripped the 10 at the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar narrowly missed contact on the 2 in game 2, but the Tridents' Precious showed no mercy. She double-potted the 2 and 10 to the right corners for the win, pushing her series lead to 2-0. Precious showed a little savvy play in game 3, getting a three-ball run on each side of Cheddar making the 7. The trick was to bait Cheddar into an 8-10 combination, which just rattled out of the bottom right, allowing Precious to pull off the ending run to clinch the series at 3-0. Game 4 saw Precious take a more casual approach, but she still gladly took the win when Cheddar rattled the 10 wide of the bottom right. Precious is up to a 4-0 series lead. Cheddar again had a nice push with a three-ball run in game 5, but she missed on the 10, and Precious knocked it down to complete the 5-0 series sweep. Precious went 16-5 on the bracket to get to the Finals.

In the Finals, 25 players will compete for nine spots in the Tournament of Champions. Official game days are still being decided, but the earliest would be Thursday for the Preliminary Finals.