A palpable tension filled Kennedy’s Classic Club in St. John’s as the local Titans, two-time defending champions of the NPPA Elrick Pat Beazer 8 Ball Team Tournament, faced a formidable challenge on their home turf. The match began with Money Team captain Pooran demonstrating strategic mastery against Titans’ Marzak, controlling the tempo with defensive precision to secure a 1-0 lead.
The night took an unprecedented turn when Titans player Charbel failed to appear within the league’s mandated grace period, resulting in a forfeited rack—a first for the Titans in over two years of competition. This gifted Money Team a 2-0 advantage without a single shot being played.
Michael, a former Titan now playing for Money Team, then engaged in a headline clash against Titans’ new recruit, Andrew. Despite Andrew’s strong start, Michael’s familiarity with the venue proved decisive, as he clinched two consecutive racks to extend the lead to 3-0.
Titans’ Stamma, competing just after emergency surgery, showcased tremendous heart but fell to a dominant performance from Money Team’s ‘Cue Ball Ricky,’ who secured two straight wins. However, Titans’ veteran My Boy quickly reasserted control, leveraging his MVP-caliber skills to deliver two meticulously constructed racks, pushing Money Team to the brink of victory at 4-1.
Under intense pressure, Titans captain B.A.D. mounted a resilient comeback against Money Team’s ‘Comeback Kid,’ claiming two critical racks to narrow the deficit to 4-2 and momentarily revive Titans’ hopes.
But the comeback was short-lived. In the final match, Titans’ Ses started strong before Money Team’s Keon recalibrated his strategy, employing intelligent positional play to secure two consecutive racks and seal a decisive 5-2 victory for Money Team.
The result signals a shift in the league’s balance of power, proving that past accolades offer no guarantee of future success.