USA Billiards Team Ends Hong Kong's Hopes

USA Billiards Team Ends Hong Kong's HopesThe USA billiard team cruised into the semi-finals to finally end the resistance of brave Hong Kong in the PartyPoker.com World Cup of Pool.Hong Kong, dismissed as 150/1 outsiders before the tournament, had defeated seeded teams Sweden and Russia in earlier rounds but were thrashed 9-3 by America, the competition’s number three seeds.Who do you think will win? Discuss World Cup of Pool here. View the World Cup of Pool Tournament BracketsEarl Strickland and Rodney Morris will now face Vietnam in Sunday afternoon’s semi-final and will be confident of securing their spot in the first ever World Cup final.
“We just stayed focused and didn’t lose track of our goal and stayed ahead," said Morris.“It was very important to come out of the gate well to set the tone for the match and that’s what we did. If you get up but a couple of games in this format then you have a big advantage."Vietnam is the story of the tournament and they’re on a high with nothing to lose so they will come at us with full force.”Hong Kong’s Lee Chenman had said the match against USA was the biggest of his career but if he had any nerves then he certainly was not showing them at the start. He won the lag for Hong Kong and then his side took the first rack with America not getting out of their chairs.But that was as good as it got for Chenman and Kong Man-ho as an attempted safety shot on the blue two by Chenman went wrong and Strickland and Morris, who have appeared in numerous Mosconi Cup teams together, punished the mistake to quickly level the match.It showed Hong Kong that America would capitalise on any error and it soon become 3-1 to USA as they claimed the next two racks with a thrilling, faultless performance.In the fifth rack Strickland laid a perfect snooker and it was no surprise when Kong Man-ho fouled by hitting the green six that had been in front of the 1-ball just off the side rail.With ball in hand, the Americans ran through the remaining balls as they threatened to steamroller their younger, more inexperienced opponents.USA broke in the sixth rack and when Strickland fired a powerful red three it looked like becoming 5-1. However, Strickland’s next shot saw him scratch when potting the orange five but Hong Kong could not take full advantage as Chenman underhit his effort to put partner Kong Man-ho out of position. When he failed to sink a difficult green seven it was comfortable for USA to take the rack and increase their lead to four.Hong Kong broke and ran in the eighth for 5-2 but when Chenman scratched off the pink four in the left centre pocket, the lead was again restored to four with the score at 6-2 as America looked to have one foot already in the semi-final.A two-rail kick shot from Kong Man-ho to hit the 1-ball did not go as planned as it left a simple effort that Morris easily converted and that looked to be the opportunity America needed for it to become 7-2.But Morris missed a go at the green six before Kong Man-ho did likewise as the experience and skill of Team USA saw it move to 7-2 with the break in the tenth. That proved to be another run out with America moving to the hill and only one rack away from returning on Sunday for the semi-finals.Hong Kong claimed the 11th thanks to an 8-9 combination from Chenman and a fortunate bank on the 1-ball looked like keeping them in for another rack but they lost position from 7-8 and American cleaned up to complete a routine victory.

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