| Fadhil Yunus |
PENGIRAN Anak Awadi Zoolhelme bin Pengiran Anak Latifuddin, Md Qusyairi bin Haji Zainuddin and Ahmad Taufiq Murni emerged champions in the inaugural Master Alim 9-Ball Team tournament after defeating Wee Lee, Jason and Lim Charng Hui 2-0 in the final.
Teo Chee Soon, Lim Wei Kok and Lim Young Wee snatched third place after beating Pengiran Husairi, Pengiran Faiq and Md Khalid 2-0.
Pengiran Anak Awadi Zoolhelme, Md Qusyairi and Ahmad Taufiq enjoyed a perfect record in Group ‘A’ after registering four successive victories to earn the best side of the draw against the fourth-ranked team in Group ‘B’.
The newly-crowned winners combined to record a total of 48 racks and conceded 29 en route to a place in the quarterfinals.
The runners-up sneaked through a place in the knock-out rounds despite not winning a single game due to a better negative rack differential of -4.
It was a tight call for teams hoping to gain the last qualifying spot in Group ‘A’ with the trio of Amin, Hanizam and Haji Mat Azman edging out the trio of Awangku Hidayat, Bakhtyar and Zainal by a single rack.
The trio Pengiran Husairi, Pengiran Faiq and Khalid topped Group ‘B’ after winning four games and drawing once having recorded a total of 57 racks and conceded 29.
Md Qusyairi, Ahmad Taufiq and Pengiran Anak Awadi Zoolhelme eliminated Hazwan, Haji Khairuddin and Faizzal in the last eight to book a spot in the semi-finals.
The trio won 2-0 through a penalty shoot-out after the scores had been tied 1-1 at the expense of Lim Wei Kok, Teo Chee Soon and Lim Young Wee.
The runners-up took the long route in reaching the final having survived a nail-biting clash against Haikal, Haji Haironi and Erman Fadli winning 2-1 through a penalty shoot-out after neither team were able to be separated.
Wee Lee, Jason and Lim Charng Hui continued their quest for the title the hard way again this time overcoming Pengiran Husairi, Pengiran Faiq and Khalid 2-1 through a penalty shoot-out.
Pooled in two groups, 11 teams competed in the tournament held at the Master Alim Pool Café in Kiulap.
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