LIER - The billiard team Mister 100 from Lier, named after the most famous player of all time, is the new champion in Belgium. They won the title last Friday night without playing themselves. The new team league champion, who captured the title for the first time in history, became unreachable for D'n Eik, the last competitor. With three matches left, Mister 100 is seven points ahead now. On Monday, the championship will be celebrated in the away match against D'n Eik.
D'n Eik squandered the last, minimal chance to still overtake Mister 100 by losing in the away match against Herstaliën this Friday night. Mister 100, with Peter Ceuleman as the great scoring captain, Kurt and Bart Ceulemans, Jerry Hermans and Marco Janssen, plays away that day against D'n. Then the team may get flagged in the Mister 100 stronghold and the team will celebrate the championship after that match.
Mister 100 is the successor to Op de Meir. The team has led almost the entire league after beating off its main rivals. Even the weeks-long absence of Bart Ceulemans was handled well by the champion. Marco Janssen showed himself to be an excellent substitute.
D'n Eik, the number 2, had apparently given up and played this Friday and also next Monday without Jean van Erp, considered one of the leaders.
Peter Ceulemans was the first to comment: ,,We have won the last 11 matches, so how deserved is this title. What a wonderful season.''
Mister 100 itself won the home match against DBC De Leug 6-2 earlier this week, slightly increasing the margin with the rivals again. Marco Janssen, the substitute for Bart Ceulemans, was the best winner against Bart Tuerlinckx 40-17 in 26 innings. Peter Ceulemans won against Pierre Soumagne 40-37 in 36, Jerry Hermans against Kenny Miatton 40-25 in 40, Kurt Ceulemans lost to Wesley de Jaeger 40-30 in 26.
Biljart Express, Brugse, Biljartpalace and Op de Meir were the other winners in the 19th round of play, Friday evening Herstalien joined them in the home match against Den Eik.
For Den Eik, only Eddy Merckx won against Roland Forthomme 40-37 in 23. The other results were:
Frédéric Mottet-Davy van Havere 40-34 in 32
Dany Boutet-Richard Bitalis 40-35 in 39
Thomas Broux-Ludo Dielis 40-33 in 37.
Royal Bruges won the derby against Kortrijkse 7-1 in this round with wins for Steven van Acker, Henk Blauwblomme and Bart Leys and a draw by Koen Saver. The team average was 1.221 against 0.854 for Kortrijkse.
Barry van Beers made two runs of 13 for Op de Meir in the home match against De Witte Molen, where he beat Francis Forton 40-13 in 19. Jef Philipoom won against Tom Löwe 40-23 in 26, Eddy Leppens against Dirk Weeremans 40-19 in 17.
Biljart Express and Billiard Promotion played a 4-4 draw. The match on centrecourt between Jean Paul de Bruijn and Frans van Kuyk was won by JP 40-31 in 22. Gerwin Valentijn played an even better match for his team: he beat Danny Geysen 40-16 in 20.
Biljartpalace against Mister 100 2, the match between the two lowest ranked teams, was narrowly won by Biljartpalace: 5-3. Kay de Zwart beat Paul Bruijstens 40-27 in 29, Frank Martens won against Marc Celen 40-32 in 37 and the important point for the team win came from Eric Hendrickx, who played a draw against Erwin Hens.
This week, the team of Driebandenclub De Leug 2 became champions in 2A, the second class, and promotes to the highest Belgian class. Playing for De Leug 2 are Jeffrey Jorissen, Therese Klompenhouwer, Andy de Bondt and Mik Derwael. De Ploeg is the comfortable leader in 2B with Dustin Jäschke, Joey de Kok, Eddy Willems and Roger Roefs.
The ranking in the top class after 19 rounds out of 22:
1 Mister 100 Lier 19-33-1,232-16
2 Den Eik 19-26-1,207-20
3 Herstalien 19-25-1,138-11
4 Billiard Express 19-22-1,228-21
5 Op de Meir 19-20-1,198-14
6 De Leug 19-18-1,122-12
7 Bruges 19-17-1,064-11
8 The White Mill 19-16-1,029-13
9 Promotion team 19-15-1,034-12
10 Kortrijk 19-15-1,132-12
11 Mister 100 Lier 2 19-12-0.977-12
12 Billiardpalace 19-9-1,009-11