Team Herald
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PANJIM: The Hub, Taleigao claimed top honours in the All-Goa inter-club team snooker and pool championship at the Billiards and Snooker Academy, Athletics Stadium, Bambolim.
In the grand final, The Hub had to battle it out hard and went through plenty of anxious moments before edging out Martin’s Pool and Snooker Club, Margao 2-1 in a closely contested final.
The format comprised of two matches of Pool (8- ball and 9- ball) and 1 match of Snooker, played in a team format, with each team comprising of 3 players.
The final was a roller-coaster ride from the word go. Ali Mohammad made it 1-0 for The Hub defeating Nigel D’Souza 3-0 in 8 ball pool. In 9 ball pool, Hub’s Jai Chopra lost to Jovito Barretto 2-4 to level the scores. With the scores tied at 1 -1, the snooker match between Goa’s top Senior snooker player Rupesh Redkar and young Nashwin D’Souza who is Goa Junior number one and India number 8 turned out to be a cracker of a contest.
The match was an exciting see saw battle which went down to the wire. Nashwin won the first frame while Rupesh pocketed the next two.
Thereafter, Nashwin came back strongly to win the fourth. At 2 frames a piece and all to play for, Rupesh had to play out of his skin as he managed to hold off Nashwin’s spirited challenge to carve out a tense 3-2 win and lead his team to the championship title.
The Hub received the ‘Champions Trophy’ and prize money of Rs 25,000 while Martin’s Pool and Snooker Club were presented with the runners-up trophy and Rs 15,000 prize money. The Hub’ team were represented by Rupesh Redkar, Ali Mohammad and Jai Chopra while Nigel D’Souza, Nashwin D’Souza and Jovito Barretto represented Martin’s Pool and Snooker Club.
Gaurish Dhond, Sports promoter, Sunil Morajkar, President, Billiards and Snooker Association of Goa (BSAG), Nicholas D’ Souza, Secretary (BSAG), Sandeep Heble, Secretary, Goa Badminton Association and Felix Francis, coach (BSAG) graced the closing function.
A total of 12 teams participated in the championship which featured most of the top ranked players from Goa battling it out in a league team format. Some of the teams featured a few outstation players also.
