Ex-Jay Zee stars win Easter Doubles KO
EZULWINI – The name Jay Zee certainly is etched in the country’s pool history books.
Jay Zee are a defunct pool team from Manzini that won everything on offer in and outside of their region. They dominated the sport countrywide about a decade ago. They had the crème de la crème of the game and financial support from businessman Jabulani Fakudze.
The team was made of big names to date like Romeo da Silva, Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, and Flag Nxumalo, among others. After realising their dominance was not helping the sport develop, they split to join other teams and nurture talent, which has seen the sport grow with emerging youngsters in Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) Pool Team’s Siyabonga ‘Siya’ Dlamini, Khanyo Simelane, Manzini Pool Club’s (MPC) Eddie Mkhonta and Way Inn’s Nathi ‘Bhubesi’ Sihlongonyane, among others.
The Easter Holidays saw two of the then revered Jay Zee team members Sibusiso Nhlabatsi and Romeo da Silva reunite for the Mvutjini Easter Pool Doubles Knockout Tournament. The pair proved they still had the Jay Zee sting as they went on to win the competition. Nhlabatsi plies his trade with the REPS and the sport earned him the job. Da Silva left MPC, where he played last season, to join Ludzeludze this season under the Dixie’s International Pool League in the Manzini Regional Pool Association (MRPA).
Nhlabatsi and da Silva netted E2 000 as champions after beating Way Inn star Sandile ‘Ngula’ Gama and his Malkerns Pool Club partner Njabulo ‘Mazambane’ Mabaso 5-2. The runners-up took home E1 400 after the final on Easter Monday.
The tournament played over two days as it had started on Easter Sunday with a number of top players in it. These include Flag Nxumalo, Siya, Falakhe Mthupha, Zweli ‘Siziba’ Dlamini, Sonic Dlamini, Mbabane Pool Club and national team’s Dumsani ‘Rasta’ Ngidi as well as MPC and national team’s Sithembiso ‘Dodge’ Matsebula.
The champions had outplayed Sonic and Njabuliso, while the runners-up outfoxed Sibusiso Mavuso of Garrison and Fana Gama of Maduma Pool Club in Mbabane in the semi-finals with 5-4 and 5-3 margins, respectively. The losing semi-finalists pocketed E800 apiece.
TOURNAMENT RESULTS/PRIZES:
Last 8
Rasta/Mthupha Flag/Mpendulo Romeo/Sibusiso Sonic/Njabuliso
Last 4
Ngula/Mazambane Sonic/Njabuliso
Final
Romeo/Sibusiso 1-5 Ngula/Mazambane
4-5 Sibusiso Mavuso/Fana Gama 5-2 Siya/Wawa
5-3 Jaoz/Mbongeni
5-3 Sibusiso/Gama 4-5 Romeo/Sibusiso
5-2 Ngula/Mazambane