Friday, February 29, 2008

JOVEN BUSTAMANTE ENTERS GUINNESS QUARTER FINALS

JOVEN BUSTAMANTE FIRST FILIPINO IN QUARTER-FINALS

TAIPEI, TAIWAN---AFTER demolishing Chang Pei-wei of Taiwan, 9-4, in the afternoon session, Joven Bustamante extended his winning run last night by crushing Alan Tan of Malaysia, 9-6, to finished undefeated in the preliminary rounds on Group A, became the first Filipino enters to the quarter-final rounds of the first leg of 2008 Guinness 9ball Tour at the Taipei, Gymnasium here.

"Medyo maganda lamang talaga ang nilaro ko ngayong araw, sana maipagpatuloy ko bukas," said Bustamante, 2007 WPA World Fujairah 8-Ball Semi-Finalists and 2007WPA Manila World Pool Quarter-Finalists.

However, compatriot Antonio Gabica and Alex Pagulayan failed to advance in the knock-out stage today. Gabica, the 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-Ball Gold Medallists succumbed to Budi Sumarno of Indoanesia, 9-8, and Last Year's Tour Grand Finale Champion Chang jun-lin of Taiwan, 9-6.

Pagulayan, the 2004 WPA World Pool Champion and 2005 US Open titlist bowed to two-time Asian Games 9-Ball Gold Medallists Yang Ching-shun, 9-8.

Both, Chang and Yang cruised to the quarter-final round after topping their group matches. Chang also beat Sumarno, 9-4, to dominates Group G brackets while Yang waylaid Siauw Wieto of Indonesia, 9-3, to conquered Group F division.

Chang will face 2006 Doha Asian Games 8-ball Gold Medallists Satoshi Kawabata of Japan in the last eight, who beat Han Hao Xiang of Hongkong, 9-5, and Toh Lian Han of Singapore, 9-6, while Yang will square off the winner in the Group E preliminaries matches between 2005 WPA World Pool Champion Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan and Ricky Yang of Indonesia who hurdle their respective assignments. Ricky beat Sumit Talwar of India, 9-3, even Wu crushed Talwar, 9-2.

Two Filipinos still battling as off presstime last night. Jeffrey de Luna, the 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-Ball Silver Medallists who beat Do Hoang Quan of Vietnam, 9-8, in the morning session takes on Nitiwat Kanjanasri of Thailand, the 23-year-old De Luna, RP's brighest hope needed to score at least 8 rack or beat Kanjanasri to advance in the KO's stage, because Do also beat Kanjanasri, 9-6, earlier in Group C.

The other Filipino bet Marlon Manalo, 2005 WPA World Pool 3rd placer who yielded to Aaron Koh of Singapore, 9-6, needed to beat 2007 WPA World Junior Champion Ko Pin-yi of Taiwan, and pray that Yi will beat Koh for a possible three way-tie in Group D and hope his tie break is superior than the two in the event offers top purse of $15,000 and aired live on ESPN Star Sports which sponsored by Guinness Beer while The Sherwood Hotel is the official hotel of the players.

Contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO

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