3-Cushion
SAINT NICOLAS - Has there ever been a better climax of a match in three cushion? Did it ever happen before that a player made a draw in the equalizer with a run of 17? Glenn Hoffman realized a small miracle in his match against Eddy Merckx. The Dutchman went to the break when he was 50-33 down and did what nobody could expect. He ran out with 17. ,,My team leader got crazy and lifted me in the air for nearly three meters after the match.''
Was it a record, did it never happen before? ,,Yes, it was a record'', replied Bert van Manen, the man with one of the best three cushion archives in the world. ,,To draw with seventeen has never happened. The Dane Dion Nelin held the record with 15.''
Glenn Hoffman enjoyed his final run for hours and days. He told us about his run: ,,The break shot was not even that good. I made my second and from then it went smoothly in the next part. I could play ten balls at least to have a good position. And I didn't need to play defense, we already did it enough in the match.''
,,When I was at ten, I looked at the scoreboard, but it was still pretty far. The tension really grew when I was three from the finish. I felt that I was trembling slightly. The sixteenth was the most difficult, but I made it and then I felt my heart beat in my throat. When I made the last, the audience gave me a big applause. Bennie, our team leader, sprinted right up to me and lifted me into the air.''
It was a fantastic moment, he said later. ,,I received incredible responses that night and the day after. And besides that it was great for me, I also won the important match for the team. We need the points very hard.''
De Witte Molen indeed defeated Quality Zele thanks to Glenn's mighty finish. Eddy Merckx commented later, in his typical style: ,,I had never experienced this, but therefor it is a record. When Glenn arrived at ten, I began to think that he could finish. And yes, the balls rolled good for him, but still you have to deal with the positions.''
In the Belgian league, also Gerwin Valentijn starred with an amazing run of 17 in the match against his buddy John Tijssens, whom he beat 50-44 in 33.
On top of the ranking, De Goeie Queue won the away match against BC Herentals (6-2) with Frédéric Caudron as best man (win over Martin Horn 50-41 in 26 innings) and Christian Rudolph, who played the best match of the night by beating Jean Paul de Bruijn (50-26 in 20 innings).
BC Deurne made a half misstep against Kortrijk (4-4) and is one point further behind the leaders.