Shehu Bamidele’s performance on Day 2 of the ongoing 2023 Joy Heyball Masters’ Division 1 Tour 2 Nigeria qualifiers has changed the complexion of the Group A of the snooker tournament at the Nicon Town Recreation Centre, Lekki, Lagos. He topped the chard with the maximum three points and 14 wins, while Raji Abdulbakir and Nosa Lawani are placed second and third with two and one point and a cumulative 12 and eight wins respectively.
Charles Chijide finished as the weeping boy of the group with zero point and six wins earned from the three matches.
The first round, which was a race to five wins contest, witnessed some exhibition of class and skill, and the only straight five-game win in the match between Lawani and Bamidele.
In the match between Lawani and Chijide, the former lost games 3, 4 and 6 on technical ground as he potted his White Cue ball when on 8 Black.
The qualifier continues on Thursday as spotlight descend on players in Group B.
The next two days are expected to deliver fireworks as the group with some top players of the elite Snooker and Pool Players Alliance square up against one another to determine who will top the group, and proceed to play against Bamidele in the final.
All eyes are on veteran snooker and former national champion, Wale Osomo to see if he still has what is required to overwhelm the young talents that are thriving to make a name for themselves in Cue sports.
The winner of the tournament will be in Lanzhou City, China to play in a tournament with a 300,000 Yuan (about N19.5 million) prize money.
Players that end within the bracket of first to 112 shall receive cash prizes, amongst other rewards like certificates, trophies and grade points in the global ranking.
