3-Cushion
TURNHOUT - Two matches from the end, De Goeie Queue took one of the last obstacles in the Belgian leaugue by a 5-3 victory over Biljart Express. The ranking leader played in the away game without Eddy Leppens. The number two of the last Belgian championship, who played the Luxor World Cup last week, was still in Cairo due to visa problems of his Colombian girlfriend Andrea.
Leppens should return today (Wednesday) to start at the Dutch cup final tomorrow in Zundert. ,,My girlfriend will stay there,'' said Leppens. ,,I hope she'll come soon to Belgium, because an Egyptian billiard player, with whom I played today, works at the embassy.''
De Goeie Queue played the away game against BC Biljart Express with Peter Ceulemans on position two, Michel van Camp on three and Johan Claessen on four. Frédéric Caudron and Johan Claessen took the full profit, Peter Ceulemans at the very end of the match day the important fifth point with a draw against Gerwin Valentijn.
The Belgian led the match 47-41 when Valentijn finished with nine. Ceulemans made the three from the spots in a breathtaking atmosphere. Caudron was the best of his team with a 50-35 win in 22 innings against Frans van Kuijk.
In the last two encounters, De Goeie Queue will meet De Ploeg 2 in Halle and on the last day the leader plays at home against BC Herentals.
BC Deurne is still one point down on the ranking after an 8-0 victory over BC De Ploeg 2: Dick Jaspers won 50-48 (33 innings) against Thorsten Frings, Ludo Dielis took the win also in a narrow escape: two points ahead of ¬¬¬¬Eddy Willems (42-40 in 34).
Eddy Merckx defeated Dirk Weeremans (50-40 in 34), Davy van Havere, who replaced Jean Paul de Bruijn (suffers pain in the back), bested Tom Persyn (42-36 in 26 innings).
The tension at the bottom of the ranking, for two places to relegate, increases by the week. Kortrijkse will certainly not show up in the highest league next year, with only six points.
Five teams are still not safe, two of them are almost: Op de Meir 1 has gathered 13 points, De Ploeg 2 and Mister 100 are at fourteen, Op de Meir 2 is almost safe with 16 points and Herentals with 17.
Mister 100 Lier returned home with a 6-2 victory over Kortrijkse, where only Bart Ceulemans lost to Martin Ravestyn (50-33 in 38). Raymond Ceulemans was the best day winner against Frédéric Beghin (1.354), Kurt Ceulemans defeated Stany Buyle 50-21 in 38 innings.