Spring 2009 - Issue 5

The Silversword: Home > Chaminade Life >Pool Contest Goes On Despite No-Shows

Pool Contest Goes On Despite No-Shows

Darren Wong, Staff Writer

Chaminade’s Billiards Club held their second tournament Nov. 19. Last year’s tournament was outstanding, providing students with food, drinks and even pool sticks, all to win a Playstation 3 prize. This year, however, did not live up to that standard.

Billiards Club founder, Mekel James, wanted to make the tournament an annual event because the student demand for a well-run pool tournament had risen. After watching a lot of pool movies and tournaments on ESPN, James decided to create the tournament, called “The Best of the Best.”

 “[W]e have so many good players at school, (the) tournaments that were ran before were not organized and the prizes were not worth playing for,” said James of his decision.

Forty people signed up and were called to show up for “The Best of the Best,” but only five actually did. The poor turnout may have been due to the new Twilight movie that premiered on the same day.  (Last year there were 70 people who signed up for the tournament, but only 40 ended up playing for the Playstation 3.)

The tournament was under the 9-ball format with a best-of-five-games elimination. Each intense game had a different dramatic effect because of the shape of the pool table (along with its curves and puka-holed felt).

The tournament players were Noelani Tu’u, Ethan Murao, Anatol v. Zitzewitz, Mekel James and yours truly. (Full disclosure: I won.)

Murao won his first match against Zitzewitz, but didn’t show up for his next match and was ruled a loss by default. Wong defeated James by 3-1 with the last game ending in three strokes, hitting the three ball and nine ball combo. The final game was with Wong and Tu’u: The game was 0-2 until Wong came back two games and won on the break for the last game.

James said he was thoroughly disappointed by how the tournament turned out, since it had been hyped since the second week of school and numerous people indicated that they wanted to join the tournament.

“We’ve offered one-on-one lessons and how to do trick shots, and yet people aren’t interested,” he said.  “This may very well be the prelude of things to come. Maybe the club will cease if it continues this way.”

In an effort to change to fate of the Billiards Club, James said next fall he will try to host a “Best of the Best Tournament.” Also, the launch of “The Last Man Standing” tournament, which will be a 14-1 rotation-tournament, will happen this coming Spring semester.