MARLON MANALO VERSUS RODNEY MORRIS IN IPT CHALLENGE MATCH

FRESH from winning the gold medal after teaming up with compatriot Cebuano Antonio "Ga-Ga" Gabica in 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) 9-ball doubles competition last month, Mandaluyong ace Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo sets his eyes to win the 3rd International Pool Tour (IPT) 8-Ball Challenge Match.

The 31-year-old Manalo, is invited to play against 2006 IPT World 8-Ball runner-up Rodney "Rocket" Morris on March 5 in the United States.

"Una ang pagkasabi sa akin ng organizer ay makakalaban ko si Thorsten (Hohmann) sa 3rd IPT 8-Ball Challenge Match at parang rematch na din naming ito na natalo ako sa finals sa kanya (Hohmann). Pero ang makakalaban ko pala si Rodney (Morris). Hope maganda ang maging performance ko sa laban ko kay Rodney (Morris)." Said Manalo, the 2005 Taiwan World Pool Championship third placer.

"For flag and country, I will do my very best, handa naman tayo," he added.

In the first challenge match, American Johnny "The Scorpion" Archer toppled countryman Earl "The Pearl" Strickland, 15-12, while another Filipino star Francisco "Django" Bustamante routed American bet Corey "The Prince" Deuel, 15-8, in the winner-take-all $5,000 second International Pool Tour (IPT) 8-ball challenge last week at the TV studio on the ritzy North Side of Chicago, Illinois in United States.

However, Manalo is undecided if he will leave the country next month to compete in the forthcoming $25,000 Turning Stone Clasic X 9-Ball Open on February 21 to 24 at the beautiful and spacious Event Center in Verona, New York.

"Wait ko pa ang signal ng BSCP kung kasali ako sa 1st leg ng Guinness Asian 9-Ball Tour sa taong ito." Manalo referring the first leg of 2008 Guinness Asian 9-Ball Tour which will kick off on February 29 to March 2 in Taipei, Taiwan.

Manalo, one of the few top players who earlier support the newly-formed Philippines Billiards Development Foundation (PBDF) headed by Jun Diokno and Willie "Hoops" Aldeguer.

Manalo, is one of the product of Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), the sole governing billiards body in the country.

"Bata pa ako kinakatawan ko na ang BSCP para sa bansa sa SEA Games at Asian Games at sa iba pang international competition," said the former snooker specialist.

Contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO