Championship in Las Vegas this weekend.

Bascome is in his second year as captain and also has the experience of playing in three previous tournaments, two in Las Vegas and another in Reno.

"In my first year I had a chance of becoming world champion when I was down to the last 32 players but due to the death of my mother I had to bow out of the tournament and return home,'' said Bascome who captains Spinning Wheel in the league.

The rest of the Bermuda team is Trevor (Kidd) Mouchette, the captain of Robin Hood who has played in the tournament on two other occasions, Kyle Thompson of Robin Hood who was in the team last year, newcomers Richard Foggo of Hamilton Parish and Gasper Oliveira, the Vasco captain, and top female player Colleen Lewis.

"For the players we do have, if we get the support from each other we should go a long way,'' Bascome said yesterday. "This is a well-balanced pool team.

It's a different environment and it should be a good experience for them (the newcomers).'' Bermuda will play in the team competition as well as the individual eight-ball singles and nine-ball singles. The team leaves for Las Vegas today for the competition which starts tomorrow and runs until May 31.

READY FOR ACTION -- (from left:) Gasper Oliveira, ricahrd foggo, Kyle Thompson, Trevor Mouchette and Gary Bascome.