WORLD CHAMP BATA REYES OPENS
SMB RP 9-BALL OPEN BACOLOD LEG TODAY
NO less than pool maestro Efren "Bata" Reyes, Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) president and Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) director Jonathan Sy and Negros Occidental Billiard and Snooker Association (NOBSA) president Allan Gaston will do the ceremonial lag when the third leg of 4TH annual SMB RP 9-Ball Open unfolds today, Saturday (August 18 to 19) at the Celebrity Billiards and Bar in Negros Occidental in Bacolod City.
NBS coach/ manager Christopher Palses lauded Reyes for his presence in the said affair as he believes this will a boost for Philippine Billiards in the Visayas.
"Malaking tulong ang pagdalo ni Efren (Bata Reyes) sa SMB RP 9-ball Open dito sa Bacolod," said Palses in a long distance interview with this writer yesterday.
"Hindi naman kaila sa lahat kung gaano naging popular ang bilyar sa bansa at nakilala ang Pilipinas sa pandaigdigang torneo dahil na din sa mga tagumpay na hatid ni Reyes na tinaguriang Filipino pool icon." He was referring Reyes’ triumph, the first Filipino world 9-ball champion in Cardiff,Wales England in 1999.
According to Palses, they expect at least 40 participants in Bacolod to surpass the 20 player's field in the second leg held in Davao City last week.
Palses also lauded the undying support of RP billiard patron Aristeo "Putch" Puyat and Bugsy Promotion honcho Perry Mariano sent his players to participate in the qualification tournament which offers four allotted slots to advance in the Grand Finale on September 14 to 16.
Puyat sent Reyes and the country's top 3 national women's players Rubilen Amit, Iris Ranola and Mary-Ann Basas to participate in the race-to-7, 9-ball tournament. Mariano on the other hand sent Roberto Gomez and Jharome Pena to add spice in the event – a joint initiative of Puyat Sports and Solar Sports with the continued patronage of San Miguel Beer.
Meanwhile, NBS players seeing action this weekend here in Bacolod leg are Roberto "Bert Pasay" Dy, Jomel "Smiling Face" Sultan, Noel "Weng-Weng" Caro and newly installed NBS member Cebuano ace Warren "Warrior" Kiamco.
It shall be recalled that Ricky "Bai" Zerna, Russian "The Dynamite" Petiza and Panfilo "Abu" Lintok"Damuag already gained slots in the Grand Finals on September 14-16 after finishing 1-2-3 in the first leg at the Paeng's Skybowl in Robinson's Galleria, which drew 51 players.
Jech-Jech "Lemon" Limen who made it to the top four last Sunday in the 2nd leg at the B3 Bowling Billiards and Bar, NCCC Mall in Davao City, also moved on to the finals.
Meanwhile, the fourth leg is schedule on Aug. 25-26 at the Puyat Sports@Baguio Center Mall in Baguio City. The qualifying rounds will end on Sept. 1-2 at the AMF-Puyat Commonwealth Lanes, Ever Gotesco Comonwealth in Quezon City.
PARICA, ORCOLLO: HOT START IN NY 9-BALL TILT
FILIPINOS Jose "Amang" Parica and Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo lived up to their billing yesterday, beating their respective rivals at the start of the IX Turning Stone Classic 9-Ball Tournament at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York.
The US$25,000 event drew 128 players according to tournament organizer Mike Zuglan where the champion takes home the top prize of US$12,000.
Parica on the other hand, acknowledged the leader of Filipino invasion in the US in the mid 80's, routed Pete Kramer, 9-1, in the Winner's side 1 bracket, while Orcollo, known to be the Philippine Billiards Money game king, trounced Ron Casanzio in a similar, 9-1, victory in Winner's side 2.
Parica's next opponent is Dick Cappotto, who beat Steve Murphy, 9-5, while Orcollo takes on Canadian based Pinoy Al Lapena, who defeated Frank Harris, 9-2.
Another Filipino entry, current double world champion Ronato "Volcano" Alcano, thwarted Tony Ruberto, 9-5, will slug-it out with Ignacio Chavez, a 9-5 winner over Chris Lynch.
Unfortunately, the main draw does not look good because of a possible confrontation between Parica and Alcano in the third round if both of them do-away with their respective opponents.
Reigning National Championship winner and All Japan Championships ruler Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza also won his match against Redgie Cutler, 9-6.
The 28-year-old Corteza who hails from Davao City, a top player of Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) will next face Holdin Chin, who blasted Pete Comali, 9-0. Corteza is fresh from a runner-up finish to eventual champion Neil "The Terminator" Feijen of the Netherlands in the 2007 International Challenge of Champion US$50,000 winner-take all at the Mohegan Sun's Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, last August 9 to 10.
Feijen, the European No.1 player today is looking for his third straight title in a row here in Turning Stone by demolishing Bill Dunsmore, 9-2, to meet Dave Fernandez, who brought down New York based Pinoy Mhet Vergarra, 9-7, the only Filipino casualty in the first round.
Feijen also ruled the 2007 Blaze 9-Ball Tour Stop last August 12 at the Skyline billiards in Brooklyn, New York.
Other notable winners include league organizer Mike Zuglan and 2007 Predator World 8-ball champion 22-years-old Shane Van Boening of the United States, European women's No.1 player Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, Korean top ace Shin Young-park, Tony Robles of Mexico, John Morra of Canada and former world 9-ball champions Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann of Germany and Mika Immonen of Finland.
(Reports from MARLON BERNARDINO).
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