Iceman leads in 10-ball at Galveston Classic

Mika Immonen keeps on rolling at the Galveston World Classic. After sending Shane Van Boening to the loser's bracket in the 10-ball event late Friday, the 36-year-old Iceman then went on to dispatch Mike Dechaine 11-3 in a match late Saturday.

Despite the lopsided outcome, the match featured some spectacular shots and tough safeties from both sides. In Rack 4, for instance, Mika came with a tough combo-bank shot into the side pocket. That helped Mika unlock that rack, which left the men tied 2-2. Dechaine ran out most of the next rack to take a 3-2 lead. In rack 8 the two men got into a bit of trench warfare, with both playing repeated safeties. Ultimately, however, Dechaine would leave a little too much showing, and The Iceman then went on to win that game, plus the next seven.

Mika, winner of the 2008 U.S. Open Nine-Ball title, can now finish no worse than second in the Galveson 10-ball event. Dechaine meanwhile must go to the loser's side, where he faces Warren Kiamco today for a chance to meet Mika again for the 10-ball title. As a side note: Kiamco is playing tough. He has already dismantled giants Johnny Archer, Efren Reyes and Fransisco Bustamante on the loser's side. He's a man not to bed trifled with.