Well two of my teams were lucky enough to make it into the Almost Made it Tournament of the APA. My Wednesday night 8 ball team, The Lady and the Tramps, is one. The other one is my Thursday night 9 ball team, Drawing a Blank, is the other one.

So the first Almost Made it team to play was The Lady and the Tramps. We played was at the Portuguese Civic Club in Lowell. It was our throw first so we threw up a 4. He played well and won 3 straight. Then they played a 5 and we matched with one of our 5's. He ended up coming through for us and won.

Next it was our throw so we decided to play me to try to end the night in 3 straight. They throw their 6 to match skills against me. First game ended in 3 innings and he won. Next game it ends in 1 inning and I take that game. We proceed to go back and forth until we both need one more game. It came down to us both having one ball, mine was hanging in the pocket and his was around the same pocket. He had a few options, either he could try to bank the ball to another pocket, try to get his ball to follow mine into the pocket, or play a safe and hope to leave me a touch shot on the eight ball and leave his hanging in the pocket. He decided to try playing a safe. I had a couple of options, either I could try to bank the 8 ball into the side pocket or cut the 8 ball across the table into the corner pocket. Not knowing how the banks where on the table I decided to cut it all the way up into the corner pocket. The 8 ball dropped into the pocket and the cue ball stayed on the table. We won the first round of the Almost Made it Tournament in three straight games.

I wish I could say I did as good for my 9 ball team. On Thursday night we played against a team we played a couple of weeks earlier and one 69 to 31. We started off by losing the first two matches. The next two matches we played well enough to bring it to a 40 to 40 tie. They put up a 5 so my captain played me. Whoever won the match wins it for their team. He shot well and I can honestly say he played better than me that night. I didn't shoot badly but I that night it was just not good enough.

Consistency is the most important part of any game. This is one piece that I know I need to work on. Taking my time and not getting discouraged when down is another goal in my game. No matter how behind someone is they are able to get back in the game as long as they believe in their game. Even though I was not shooting badly I did not believe in my game enough to over come these things as I did the night before. All anyone can do is play the best game they can on any given night. On Wednesday night my best game was good enough to come out a winner, on Thursday night my best game came up short.

Till next time may your aim be true.