FILIPINO MAZON FINISHES 2ND IN CHINA 9-BALL MEET; POCKETS $8,000

FILIPINO Jundel "Janno" Mazon made some of his trademark shots but settled only for a runner-up finish behind former World Pool Champion Chao Fong Pao at the conclusion of the 2011 China 9-Ball Invitational Championships at the Best Bet Maccaline Plaza in Hefei City, Anhui Province in Eastern China, over the weekend.

Mazon whose stint here is backed up by Energen and Kopiko found Chao too hot to handle as the hometown bet came through with tough shots of his own after winning the lag on the way to posting a 11-8 win that earned him the $16,000 winner’s prize.

"Ang hirap ng naghahabol kasi naka una agad siya (Chao Fong Pao)," said Mazon, one of the top player of Jonathan Sy's Negros Billiards Stable to his coach Christopher "Toper" Palses.

"Bawi na lamang next time," added Mazon, who settled runner-up prize of $8,000.

According to NBS head coach Christopher "Toper" Palses, Chao immediately took a 4-1, 9-4 to 10-8 lead against Mazon."Naka dikit pa sa 10-8 si Janno (Jundel Mazon) kaso naubos ni Chao (Fong Pao) ang lahat ng bola sa pagsargo sa 19th racks," said Palses.

However, Mazon, a former Guinness World Series of Pool Champion bounced back winning four of the five racks to cut the lead at 10-8 count before Chao finished the game in the 19th racks.

Despite the loss, Mazon remained the best Filipino finisher in the said event. Among his victim were Chan Du Long of China, 9-3, in the Last 32, Gou Hua of China, 9-5, in the Last 16, Yang Chin-shun of Chinese-Taipei, 11-9, in the Last 8 and countryman Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza, 11-10, in the Last 4.

Aside from Mazon and Corteza, other Filipino cue masters seeing in action were hall of famer Efren "Bata" Reyes, Warren "Warrior" Kiamco, Antonio "Nickoy" Lining and Panfilo "Lintok" Damuag.MARLON BERNARDINO