3-Cushion
MALLE/SINT TRUIDEN - The champion team of De Goeie Queue has closed the competition in Belgium with a Belgian record team average. Dick Jaspers showed again his excellent form after the World Cup win in Luxor (5.555 average), the team played a marvellous 2.486. Sint Truiden has to leave the top league, Op de Meir finished second in the ranks and was rewarded by a European ticket. De Goeie Queue played its match last night with 2.486 overall, a new Belgian team record. Lugo was the recordholder before, with Torbjörn Blomdahl, Dick Jaspers, Roland Forthomme and Martin Spoormans.
In the final ranking De Goeie Queue/AEJ finished with 43 points, eleven points ahead of Op de Meir. BC Deurne, that needed a draw in its last game against Biljart Express, missed the European ticket at one point. KBC Zanzibar and BC Herentals also finished in the top five. Royal Bruges was already out of the game in its debut year, but won its last match against De Ploeg 2 (6-2). Biljartvrienden and Sint Truiden both finish with 10 points. Biljartvrienden maintains on the basis of matches won.
De Goeie Queue made a huge impresson on the final day. Dick Jaspers demonstrated the form in which he triumphed at the last World Cup in Luxor. The Dutchman defeated Francis Forton 50-18 in 9 innings (5.555 average) and closed the match with 13, 0 and 11. Eddy Merckx played a great match as well against Ad Broeders (42-8 in 15, 2.800), Frédéric Caudron played two average exactly against Glenn Hoffman (50-35 in 25) and Jean Paul de Bruijn defeated Yves Schiettecatte 42-17 in 25 .
BC Deurne still had a chance to finish second and take a European ticket, but needed a win in the away match against Biljart Express. The mission failed because Torbjörn Blomdahl lost to Frans van Kuyk (50-43 in 26) and Davy van Havere to Guy van Litsenborg: 42-30 in 30. Jef Philipoom and Jean van Erp took the wins for Deurne. The Dutchman in a strong match against Martin Spoormans (42-23 in 19), Jef Philipoom against Gerwin Valentijn 50-44 in 31.
Eddy Leppens was also one of the stars on this matchday: he defeated Frédéric Mottet (50-22 in 19 innings). The Belgian champion has planned to play for Op de Meir in next year's European Cup. ,,I'm very proud that we took the second place with our team in such a strong competition second'', Leppens said.
Dave Christiani shone for Zanzibar, that won the match against Biljartvrienden 5-3: (50-23 in 21 against John Tijssens, 2.380 average). Martin Horn (1.724) and Christian Rudolph (1.250) closed a great season for Herentals with wins against Ronny Lindemann and Huub Wilkowski.
The final ranking after 22 games (points, average runs):
1 De Goeie Queue 43-1.736-20
2 Op de Meir 31-1.303-14
3 Deurne 30-1.395-21
4 Zanzibar 28-1.354-15
5 Herentals 26-1.258-11
6 De Witte Molen 25-1.136-15
7 Biljart Express 24-1.220-15
8 De Ploeg 1 16-1.080-11
9 De Ploeg 2 15-1.010-14
10 Biljartvrienden 10-1.044-13
11 Sint Truiden 10-0.954-10
12 Royal Bruges 6-0.941-14.