Monday, August 12, 2013

FILIPINO POOL SHARKS VIE FOR ALL JAPAN CHAMPIONSHIP


by Marlon Bernardino

POOL sharks coming from around the world will be vying for prestige and the coveted crown when the 46th All Japan Championship gets underway on November 12-18 at the Hotel New Archaic Hall in Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo, Japan.

As expected Filipino Billiards masters Efren "Bata" Reyes, Francisco "Django" Bustamante, Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, Ronato "Volcano" Alcano, Carlo "The Black Tiger" Biado and Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza will spearhead the Philippine campaign. 

Other notable cue masters will seeing in action are Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego, Antonio "Nickoy" Lining, Jonas James Reyes, Warren "Warrior" Kiamco, Jundel "Jano" Mazon, Rodrigo "Edgie Marilao" Geronimo, Johann "Bubwit" Chua, Val Pajuay, Roel Esquillo and Jerome Andrino. 

"Mabigat po y'ung All Japan Championship pero tinitiyak namin (Filipino cue artists) na lalaban kami ng husto," said the 28-year-old Jonas James Reyes, who is fresh from winning the monthly Tiger Cup 10-ball tournament at the famous Star  Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City last June.

"Gagawin po namin y'ung aming makakaya para sa bayan, "added the pride of San Mateo/Montalban, Rizal Jonas James Reyes, long-distant relative of Efren "Bata" Reyes, who also got a strong fourth place finish in the 2013 POC-PSC Philippine National Games last May at the Gameball, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

The tournament will feature defending champion  Jung-Lin Chang of Taiwan, Kunihiko Takahashi of Japan, Mika Immonen of Finland, Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohman of Germany and Johnny Archer of the United States, among others.

Chang, a player from Bugsy International Promotions, cemented his status as world no. 1 after beating countryman Yang Ching-shun of Chinese-Taipei in the finals of the last year's edition. Chang went home with the top prize of $28,600, while Yang settled for $14,300.

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