Galveston World Classic: Alcano over Archer in 8-ball, Immonen over Kiamco in 10-ball

Ronnie Alcano bested Johnny Archer in the eight-ball final at the Galveston World Classic on Sunday. That's Alcano in the photo.

In the 10-ball final, it was Mika Immonen over Warren Kiamco. As predicted, Kiamco did not go down easily. Because Kiamco came up through the loser's side, he had to beat Immonen in two sets in order to win the final. Kiamco managed the first set, but lost in the second.

For their victories, Alcano and Immonen take home $15,500 and $25,000 respectively. Efren Reyes on Thursday won the one-pocket event and Yu Ram Cha on Tuesday came out on top in women's nine-ball. The inaugural Galveston World Classic, held in the very attractive Moody Gardens resort in the island city, also featured an amateur competition and a wheelchair competition. It finished up on Sunday. Promoter Louis Vickio of Houston promises to put the show on again next year.

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.