TURNHOUT/MALLE - The form peak couldn't have come at a better moment. Davy van Havere played his second 3.000 average-match in his career this Monday night, he won 8-0 to Biljart Express with BC Deurne and is ready for the great match next Monday: BC Deurne against De Goeie Queue. What's at stake that day? The Belgian league championship. The two leading teams kept their gunpowder dry for the decisive match: they have nothing to fear from other pursuers after De Goeie Queue has defeated its last rival Zanzibar 5-3. BC Deurne makes the better impression already for some weeks: Torbjörn Blomdahl, Jef Philipoom, Jean van Erp and Davy van Havere seemingly have a better line-up on all positions than the still reigning champion with its top guns Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx.
Davy van Havere, after his display of strength, is looking forward to a full house next week in Deurne for the almost certain show down of the competition: however there are two matches left then. ,,I think the chances are fifty-fifty, but for sure it will be an exciting match'', he predicts, eyeing a spectacular finish. The 33-year-old player from Kapellen, partly responsible for the human resource department at the Transport Company De Bock, father of two sons aged six and two, is one of the hot favorites himself in the team.
Above all, after what he showed in his match against Guy van Litsenborg on Monday, gaining a boost of morale. ,,I had eleven points in four, it was 23-20 in 12 at the break and when I came back, I made my last points in two innings, 7 and 12'', he noted. It turned out into a great match, 42-22 in 14. ,,I have ever played 3 average before in my career, 50 in 16 innings.''
The form peak is not a coincidence. Davy van Havere in on his best usually around the Belgian championship in Blankenberge and the Belgian Cup Hooglede, which he won in 2012 in a final against Eddy Merckx in a tournament with all Belgian cracks. ,,I use to play well in the championships, but I'm also a team player'', says Van Havere, a contemporary of Steven van Acker, who also played for BC Deurne years ago.
The insatiable Torbjörn Blomdahl, tackling each match with unchanged ambitions, bested Frans van Kuyk in the match between Deurne and Biljart Express 50-31 in 29 (final stretch of 8). Jef Philipoom beat Gerwin Valentijn 50-42 in 31 and Jean van Erp bested Martin Spoormans 42-34 in 22. Van Erp played a remarkable match: twelve misses, but also 8, 6, 6, 10 and 6.
Frédéric Caudron excelled with a run of sixteen right after the break and a wonderful start of Roland Forthomme, leading 18-4 in 4 and 27-12 in 10. Caudron took advantage after his high run, led 49-42 when Forthomme finished with 3 and 5. Caudron needed one carom to draw: 50-50 in 31. Eddy Merckx, after a great start with 27-14 in 11, finished five points ahead of Dave Christiani, when he ran 6 on a 44-44 score (50-45 in 39), Jean Paul de Bruijn was the vulnerable team player with lots of one's and two's, but no high runs and lost to Kenny Miatton 42-36 in 28, Jerry Herman defeated Jimmy Mues 42-37 in 49.
Martin Horn and Raimond Burgman played a very attractive match, which ended in favor of the German. Horn closed the match at 47-42 with 8, Burgman was one point down at the end: 50-49. Christian Rudolph defeated John Tijssen 50-43 in 32, making BC Herentals the winner against Biljartvrienden: 6-2.
Eddy Leppens was the winning leader for Op de Meir team in the match against De Ploeg. The former Belgian champion defeated the German Masters winner Dustin Jäschke 50-28 in 24. De Witte Molen came back with the full win from the away match against DOS Roeselare (5-3). Steven van Acker and Glenn Hofman fought for the points until the last innings. Van Acker, last Sunday's luminary in the Netherlands, had strong start again (25-12 in nine at the break). He ran out to a 36-49 margin, but Hofman then topped it off with twice 7 for the 50-49. Van Acker drew from the break.
Mr. 100 Lier was a model of regularity at every table when the team whitewashed De Ploeg 1 and kept the maximum win at home (8-0): Peter Ceulemans, Raymond, Bart and Kurt won in 33, 34, 35 and 39 innings.
BC Deurne and De Goeie Queue start the mutual clash next Monday with 34 points out of 19 matches. At the bottom of the ranking things have to be shaked up by three teams for the relegation: De Ploeg 1 has six points, DOS Roeselare and De Ploeg 2 five points.
Kenny Miatton disturbed the rhythm of De Goeie Queue by beating Jean Paul de Bruijn