Shehu Bamidele has emerged the winner of the 2023 Joy Heyball Masters Division 1 Tour #2 Nigeria qualifier by beating Adebayo Adekunle 10-6 in a final match played on a Joy Billiards bing table at the Nicon Town Recreation Centre Lekki.
The competition was organised by the Snooker and Pool Players Alliance of Nigeria (SPPA).
This victory confers on Bamidele the sole representative of Nigeria at the Joy Heyball Masters Division 1 Tour #2, which holds in Lanzhou City of China from 23rd June to 3rd July 2023.
The final, which was streamed live via SPPA partner, Asentv.tv YouTube channel, was a Race to 10 Racks as Bamidele, who was unbeaten enroute the final, displayed a no-smiling no-nonsense combat mode to take a 4-1 lead in the first session. But Adekunle closed the gap with a 2-3 score in the another 5 racks causing the match to be 6-4 at the end of the second session.
In the final session, it was now a game of survival as Bamidele successfully defended the intensified challenge deplored by his opponent by winning 4 of the last 6 racks of the event, thereby causing the match to end 10-6.
Adekunle, who confronted Bamidele’s fire power in the finals, had earlier in the day defeated Sunday Ekundayo and Christopher Abiodun (well known as Emiratae) to break the tie by a Race to 3 Racks playoff in a round robin contest.
Veteran snooker and pool player, Wale Osomo who is a leading member of the SPPA and a participant in the tournament, said at the end of the event: “I believe that this is the first of many to happen. This is the first step. What do the Chinese say? A journey of a thousand miles starts with a step and this is the first step. The whole idea and vision is to actually raise a new generation of Snooker and Pool Players”.
The former Nigerian snooker champion further said: “Now we know that we have Pool on the street and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way; that is out in town people are playing in so many different corners of Lagos and Nigeria but there is no structure. We owe ourselves that duty to create a new structure for Snooker and Pool in Nigeria and that is what we are trying to do to get all of you to come into this fold.
“We face a challenge in Nigeria where people say that in Pool we are always betting. The truth of the matter is what is wrong with betting? After all we have betting companies everywhere now. So, what we are doing is nothing different but with the intention that we are going to structure it so well that it comes into the main stream in Nigeria”.
In encouraging Bamidele, the winner of the Nigeria qualifiers, Osomo said: “If you believe that you will win that tournament, you will win it. You need to understand that. We are all routing for you. You have all our support. We wish all the best and God’s speed”.
One of the participants, Charles Chijide the CEO of Zubich Textiles was impressed by the quality of play and skills exhibited by all the contestants and he made a presentation of some textiles to Bamidele, imploring him to dress in the proper Nigeria style when travelling to China.
SPPA President Nigeria, Joachim Idada noted: “In our days we never had the right structure that offered us this opportunity. First, this Nigeria qualifier has offered us a rare opportunity for our great ‘Prof’, Mr Wale Osomo to officially transfer the mantle of leadership to the next generation of great Snooker and Pool Players in line with international best practice. So, Shehu and the other players in the Nigeria Qualifier are the next and future generation of the sports.
“We will be doing everything possible to get your visa to enable you travel as you are expected to arrive china by the 20th June to participate in the main event”.
In encouraging Bamidele and attesting to SPPA reputation, Idada said: “Through the Alliance, Abiodun Christopher had the opportunity to travel to Dubai to play in Dubai Open Chinese 8 Ball Open Tournament and also traveled to Singapore to participate in there Open Billiards Championship. Now you are to go to China to participate in the 2023 Joy Heyball Maters Division One Tour #2. You are not only representing yourself but many other players whose future you are carrying on your shoulders. Please go there and play, go with the Nigerian spirit. Fight and fight till you win”.
The SPPA helmsman also used the opportunity to announce that some of the tournaments of the alliance, like the monthly Heyball Top 4 series and the challenge series, will be returning soon.
