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FORMER
world champion Alex Pagulayan and Asian Games gold
medalist Antonio “Gaga” Gabica survived rough waters
with huge strokes of luck to stay in contention in the
Second Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines
(BSCP) National Championships yesterday at the Ninoy
Aquino Stadium.
Pagulayan, the defending champion and the tournament’s
second seed, salvaged a 9-8 victory over unfancied
Roland de la Cruz.
“Magaling ’yung kalaban, pero nu’ng bandang huli pareho
kaming ninerbyos. Mabuti na lang at sa akin pumanig
’yung swerte [My opponent was good but in the end we
were both nervous. Good thing luck was on my side.],”
said the 27-year-old 2004 World Pool titlist.
“I have
to play better to win this tournament, if not, baka
bukas laglag na ako [I might get dropped tomorrow.],” he
added.
Gabica,
the No. 4 seed, also scored a 9-8 squeaker over Jarry
Pelayo. Gabica trailed during most of the match before
he watched his unheralded foe miss the 8 in the final
rack.
“Swerte,
napakalaking swerte [Luck, great deal of luck],” said
Gabica. “Akala ko talo na ako. Pumikit na ako nu’ng
tinitira ni Jarry ’yung otso. Pagmulat ko buhay pa pala
ako [I already closed my eyes when Jarry was shooting
for the eight. When I opened them I was still alive].”
Pelayo,
whose fingers in his right hand were amputated because
of a firecracker accident years ago, reached the hill
first at 8-7 with him breaking the next rack. He failed
to clean up the table though, giving Gabica the chance
to send the match into a deciding rack.
Gabica
broke but surrendered the table twice to Pelayo, who
eventually missed that 8.
“Sayang
[It’s a pity],” said Pelayo, a Negros Billiards Stable
stalwart. “Akala ko akin na. Grabe kasi ’yung pressure,
hindi ko nakayanan [I really thought it was mine. The
pressure was so great, I couldn’t handle it].”
Warren
Kiamco, the rejuvenated former three-time Southeast
Asian Games gold medalist who is seeded 10th in the
tournament, bucked a series of missed shots to cruise to
a 9-5 victory over top junior Renemar David.
Joining
Kiamco in the early winners’ bracket were Antonio
Lining, Jeff de Luna, Fidel Punzalan, John Rebong, Jomar
de Ocampo, Edgar Acaba and Jun Caro.
“Medyo
naninibago pa ako sa klima — malamig kasi sa US tapos
grabe ang init ngayon dito—saka ’yung pinaglaruan ko
dun, ’yung bar table, mas maliit kaysa dito sa standard,
kaya nag-a-adjust pa ako. Mabuti na lang at nakauna ako
kaya nanalo [The change in climate takes getting used
to—it was cold in the US and here it is so hot. Also,
the tables I played on there are smaller compared to the
standard here. I’m still adjusting],” said the
36-year-old Cebuano.
After
winning the leg, Kiamco pocketed the first three racks
to seize control of the match before his inconsistency
struck.
That
allowed the 17-year-old David to come close. The
country’s lone representative to the World Juniors
Championship in Australia last year won four of the next
six racks to move within 5-4.
But
Kiamco, who credits Bugsy Promotions of businessman
Perry Mariano for reviving his career, regained his
touch. Exposing his foe’s inexperience, he sank four of
the next five striped nines to coast to victory in this
six-day competition coorganized by BSCP and Raya Sports
and presented by San Miguel Corp.
Lining,
a former Asian Games gold medalist who is searching for
his first title since winning the Japan Open last year,
blanked 15-year-old upstart Johann Choa, 9-0.
“Magaling ’yang batang ’yan [That kid is really good],”
Lining said of Choa, who topped the qualifying
tournament last week. “Naunahan ko lang kaya
pinanghinaan agad ng loob, lalo nu’ng lumaki ’yung
lamang ko, tapos di s’ya makahulog sa break [I just got
a headstart that’s why he lost his confidence,
especially when my lead got bigger and he couldn’t
pocket anything on the break].”
In the
distaff side, top seed Rubilen Amit overcame a sluggish
start to beat unfancied Mildred Almero, 9-5.
Amit was
joined in the winners’ bracket by Minse Grace Mercurio,
who upended Ces Marquez, 9-7.
Simple
opening ceremonies, led by BSCP president Ernesto
Fajardo, and BSCP chairman and Raya Sports head Yen
Makabenta, ushered in the tournament.
De Luna,
a silver medalist in the Doha Asian Games last December,
likewise capitalized on a strong start in trouncing
unheralded Rodrigo Geronimo, 9-2.
“Swerte
lang na nakauna ako [I got lucky with a headstart],”
said the 22-year-old De Luna, a semifinalist last year.
“Medyo masama pa ‘yung tira ko. Hopefully gumanda na sa
mga susunod kong laro [My shots were a little off.
Hopefully they’d be better in the succeeding games].”
Punzalan
defeated Noel Caro, 9-5, while Rebong edged Elmer
Kalaquian, 9-8. Acaba blasted Jomel Sultan, 9-2, and Jun
Caro downed Tommie Gador, 9-7.
The
biggest upset so far was recorded by De Ocampo, as the
19-year-old Alaminos, Pangasinan native took the scalp
of 16th seed and World Pool Championship veteran Roland
Garcia with a 9-5 win.
*****
Alcano denies
REIGNING
double world champion Ronnie Alcano yesterday vehemently
denied allegations he sexually assaulted her 14-year-old
daughter.
“Walang
katotohanan ‘yan, hindi ko magagawa ‘yang ibinibintang
nilang ‘yan [There’s no truth to that. I can never
do what they’re accusing me of],” stressed Alcano in
response to a report that his first wife filed a
complaint against him for purportedly molesting their
daughter last November, the same month he won the World
Pool Championship at the PICC.
“Marahil
ay pera lang ang habol nila sa akin [Maybe they’re
only after money],” added Alcano.
Alcano
is now separated with the mother of his daughter. His
manager, Perry Mariano, came to his defense.
“Wala
‘yan [That’s nothing]. That’s foul,” said Mariano.
“Pera
lang ang dahilan niyan at handa kaming harapin ‘yang
bintang na ‘yan [Money is the only reason for that and
we are ready to face the allegations]. You know when you
start making a name for yourself, when you begin to
become popular, you suddenly get to see new-found
relatives,” added Mariano.
Mariano
said Alcano opened a bank account for his daughter after
winning the world title last year. He said Alcano
deposited P100,000, but was disappointed to learn only
after one week that all the money has been spent.
“Probably they think that it’s easy to get money by
doing this. But we are not running away from this,”
explained Mariano. “Kilala ko si Ronnie, di nya magagawa
‘yan [I know Ronnie. He can never do that].” |
