Zagaroli wins seventh title
Daniel Zagaroli (Chandlers Ford Central) has won the prestigious Southampton billiards league's Gordon Lewis memorial billiards championship for the seventh time. He beat three time champion Paul Adams (Churchills Eastleigh) in the two by one hour final held at Chandlers Ford Central.
 
Zagaroli had beaten defending champion and five times in a row winner John Mullane in the quarter finals, and overcome five time runner-up and team compatriot Terry Azor in the semi final. Adams had made a wonderful 90 break in his semi final win over Paul Lawrence, but the final started in a chess like fashion, as both players vied for control and got used to the superb and wonderfully fast playing conditions.
 
Adams made the first telling contributions with a 36 and a 33, but Zagaroli found his own rhythm and made numerous breaks over 25 to lead at the half hour mark. Zagaroli built his scoring on a bedrock of perfect potting and positional play, taking him from the top spot down to the middle spot and back to the top spot. This was mixed with some fine long in-offs and cannons, which helped him to an effortless break of 73. Adams then made a fine 10 hazard break of 54 to reduce the deficit and trail by only 175 points to 197 at the end of the first hour.
 
Both players played some fine billiards, but could not quite raise the standard to their heady league form. Zagaroli was on a break of six at the one hour buzzer, and took this to 42 at the start of the second hour session, and then added a 33. He played some innovative cannon positional play, sending the red ball around the table, to land perfectly near the top pockets to start another sequence of pot reds to extend his lead. Adams responded with a 38 break but ex-professional snooker player Zagaroli’s accuracy ultimately proved decisive, as he found himself 434 points to 328 at the two hour buzzer for a wonderful championship win. Well done Daniel.

Daniel Zagaroli 384  V Paul Adams 328