Hustlers pulling away in billiards league

The SaipanCell-Krystal Perfect Spot Hustlers are slowly distancing themselves from the pack as the Budweiser SBA Open 8-Ball League enters the final five weeks of competition.

The Hustlers, backed by SaipanCell Communications and Krystal Perfect Spot Bar, dominated the visiting Wild Bill’s Wild Wild West in pulling off a 7-0 shutout win Tuesday night at their home bar in Chalan Kanoa.

It was the second straight shutout win for the Hustlers to improve their record to a league-best 60-10 mark and enjoy a 14-game lead over closest pursuer Porky’s Extremists, 46-24, which is currently in a tight battle for second place with Jonny’s Destroyers (44-26).

Len’s 5 Bad Boyz, Porky’s Wild Hogs, and Coral Reef Shark Attack are tied from fourth to sixth spots with similar 41-29 slates followed by Mr. Wonderful Shooters (40-30), USSP Fotten Palau (38-32), and Wild Wild West (37-33).

Wild Bill’s Snipers lead the lower half of the standings with a 30-40 mark followed by USSP Wat-Ever’s and Godfather’s Magas’ identical 28-42 cards. Len’s 5 Amigos (26-44), Perfect Spotter (25-45), Coral Reef Barracuda (18-52), and VFW Warriors (17-53) round out the standings.

But don’t let the score fool you as the Hustlers had their work cut out for them against the Wild Wild West as four of the seven games were decided on tiebreaks.

The Hustlers’ Erwin Gomez, Rowell Mariano, Senen Pangilinan, and Robert Sanciangco were forced to deciding matches by their opponents but came out victorious after getting the needed breaks to complete the shutout.

Coral Reef’s Shark Attack went hunting on Tuesday and gobbled up the Destroyers in a 6-1 mauling. The loss dropped the Destroyers to third, while a 4-3 win by the Extremists brought them back to second place.

In other matches, Len’s 5 Amigos and Godfather’s Magas both scored similar 6-1 decisions against VFW Warriors and Coral Reef Barracuda, respectively, while Len’s 5 Bad Boyz dispatched USSP Fotten Palau, 5-2.

Mr. Wonderful Shooters and Porky’s Wild Hogs scored consecutive 4-3 wins over Krystal Perfect Spotters and Wild Bill’s Snipers.

Pacific Amusement, the same company that runs the leagues of the Saipan Electronic Darts Association, organizes the Budweiser SBA Open 8-Ball League.

For more information about the Budweiser SBA Open 8-Ball League and the SEDA leagues, contact league secretary Charlotte Tenepere at 233-4397.