Pinoy billiards shooters aim for SEA Games golden harvest

Bob Guerrero

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Pinoy billiards shooters aim for SEA Games golden harvest
Billiards has long been a source of medals for the Philippines. It will likely be a similar story in Kuala Lumpur.

The Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines is fielding a strong set of shooters for the August SEA Games in Malaysia. Let’s take a look at these Filipino masters of the slate and their respective chances at gold.


Women’s 9 Ball Singles: Rubilen Amit, Chezka Centeno

Amit is a two-time women’s world 10 Ball champion and although the discipline in SEA Games for ladies is the slightly different 9 Ball, she will be a favorite.

The 32-year old Cebuana already has 6 golds in the SEA Games dating back to 2005, when she struck gold in both 8 and 9 Ball. This year there is only 9 Ball and no other discipline for women.

Centeno, who beat Amit for gold two years ago in Singapore, will also be a threat. The 18-year-old Zamboangueña is a natural talent who is only getting better as she matures.

There is danger from outside too. Angeline Ticoalu, the Indonesian SEA Games gold medalist from 2013, could spring an upset. Amit recently lost to Ticoalu in the Amway Cup in Taiwan.

Ticoalu and Amit are such good buddies that Rubilen has hosted Angeline as a house guest here in the Philippines. But in Kuala Lumpur both girls, plus Centeno, will be gunning to emerge the champion out of the field of 16 players.

Chance for Gold: Excellent.


Men’s 9 Ball Singles: Johann Chua

Chua, like Amit and Centeno, was chosen to represent the country through comprehensive round-robin qualifying against other top players. Chua squared off in a double round robin tilt against a brutal field composed of Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Warren Kiamco and Dennis Orcollo. He finished on top with a 7-3 slate.

“Dati pa ako gusto maglaro sa SEA Games,” (I’ve always wanted to play in the SEA Games) says Chua, who is practicing 9 ball despite the fact that he was set to leave for Japan after our interview to play in the Japan Open 10 Ball.

The 2015 All-Japan champion is also focusing more on tournament play rather than challenge matches for money, which is a welcome development. The mentality is different between the two and many observers feel that playing money games can detract from one’s sharpness for tournaments.

“Para sa akin kung gusto mo mag champion sa tournament dapat bawasan ang money games,” says the vet.

(For me if you want to become a champion in tournaments you have to play fewer money games.)

Chua thinks that Singaporean Aloysius Yapp could be one of his main rivals for the gold.

Chance for Gold: Excellent.


Men’s 9 Ball Doubles: Dennis Orcollo and Warren Kiamco

The BSCP has reportedly chosen this pairing for the doubles because they triumphed in the last Manny Pacquiao pairs tournament. Few will doubt that it’s the wrong call.

Orcollo and Kiamco are great buddies off the table, which is hugely important in Scotch Doubles, where chemistry is vital. Orcollo has won a World Cup of Pool in doubles with Lee Vann Corteza. Kiamco will be an equally strong partner.

This is as close as we are to a sure gold in cue sports. You can’t hide in Scotch Doubles, where the players in each team alternate shots, not innings. You are really only as good as your weakest link, so both players need to be consistent. It’s hard to imagine that any other ASEAN country can trot out a pairing of similar quality.

This duo will also represent the country in the Asian Indoor Games in Tajikistan, where they will certainly be one of the favorites.

Chance for Gold: Excellent.


Men’s Snooker Singles: Jeffrey Roda, Basil Al-Shajjar

Men’s Snooker Doubles: Jeffrey Roda, Alvin Barbero


Roda is a 17-year old pool player from Lianga, Surigao Del Sur, who has been converted to snooker. His high break, or points compiled in one inning, in practice is a dazzling 127. (147 is the maximum, and 100 is already world-class.)

His best effort in a tournament is an 80 at the Asian U21 championship. 80 is usually enough for an opponent to concede the frame, or rack, because there are not enough points left in the table to overcome that without the use of fouls.

Jeffrey Roda will represent the Philippines in singles and doubles snooker. Photo by Bob Guerrero

Roda also finished top in a round-robin qualifying phase. Al-Shajjar is of Filipino and Middle Eastern descent but grew up here. Barbero has more experience in snooker than Roda, who just began training in snooker in earnest this year.

Coach Reynaldo Grandea, a grizzled veteran of many SEA Games campaigns in carom, is offering sage advice to the young stars.

The greatest achievement in the Philippines in this discipline in the SEAG might be in 2005. Playing at home in the Makati Coliseum, Pinoys Leonardo Andam, Joven Alba, and Alex Pagulayan beat a tough Thai team bannered by World Championship veteran Phatitoon Phonboon to win the team snooker gold. Perhaps this bunch can cause a similar upset, but the powerful Thais and the improving Myanmar potters will stand in their way.

Like Kiamco and Orcollo, these potters will also represent the country in the Asian Indoor Games, where there is women’s snooker. The gifted Phoy Andal is our representative in Tajikistan for that event.

Chance for Gold: Fighting Chance.

 

English Billiards: Efren Reyes and Francisco De Los Reyes

English Billiards is a carom-like cue sport that uses three snooker balls and a snooker table. You earn points by pocketing balls, caroming them off one another, and, believe it or not, scratching, or going “in-off,” on purpose. Here is how it goes.

Efren Reyes, now 63 years old, is considered to be one of the best players in the world over multiple disciplines. (His best game is probably One Pocket so the Philippines would do well to have that form of pool in the 2019 SEA Games that we are hosting.) That’s why he has been called up with De Los Reyes, a former SEAG medalist in carom billiards, to play.

BSCP chair Putch Puyat says he is hoping for an outside chance at gold in English Billiards doubles.

The problem for the Philippines is the presence of that chap in the video. Peter Gilchrist, an Englishman, is a legend in this game, and in 2006 Singapore naturalized him. He won the gold in the 2009, 2011, and 2013 SEA Games in English Billiards for the Lion City. He should be a lock for the singles competition but not necessarily with a doubles partner.

Chance for Gold: Fighting Chance.


The incentive for winning gold in the SEA Games is reportedly P300,000, with half of that for a silver finish. The players will be motivated, and their morale is high. All of the shooters praised the new management of the cue sports NSA, led by Puyat, Robert Mananaquil, and Ramon Malinao, for their responsiveness to the players, especially when it comes to equipment needs.

The stage is once again set for the rest of South East Asia to know that when it comes to table sports, Pinoys still rule the roost. – Rappler.com

Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH.

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