Pool Players Welcome NBL

The soon-to-be-launched National Billiards League (NBL) has received an overwhelming support from the local pool community, particularly the players who are all excited to begin what they call “the new era of Philippine billiards.”

“We’re all very happy with this development as we know that having this professional league will really lift (Philippine) billiards to new heights, and this will be the start of a new era of Philippine billiards,” said former world champion Alex Pagulayan.

After finding a television partner – Solar Sports – that would broadcast the games for the league’s inaugural season, NBL’s main proponents Philippine billiards godfather Aristeo “Putch” Puyat and fellow managers Perry Mariano and Jonathan Sy are now negotiating with several companies for sponsorship to the teams to be formed.

Last Saturday, they met with the players from the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) to formally inform them of the development and invite them to join the league. They also introduced the newly-appointed NBL commissioner in businessman Martin Misa.

“We’re formally inviting you to join the NBL, a dream that we all share for a long time, which is now coming into reality,” said Puyat during the gathering attended by the country top cue artists, led by Efren “Bata” Reyes, as well as the sport’s up-and-coming stars.

“NBL will be exclusive for you BMPAP members, who have been with us in our crusade to put out sport in the right direction,” added Puyat.

The NBL is slated to start late this year with eight teams of six players each in the fold.

Meanwhile, the players present in the meeting reiterated their stand of not joining any event “that has anything to do with Mr. Yen Makabenta” and his Raya Sports, including the planned World 10-Ball Championship, until all the issues that caused them to break away from the groups affiliated with him are resolved.

“The main reason why BMPAP bolted away from the groups affiliated with Mr. Makabenta is because of his dual role as chairman of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) and President of Raya Sports, which clearly constitutes conflict of interest,” the players said in a statement.

Besides Reyes and Pagulayan, also in the meeting were former double world champion Ronnie Alcano, 2007 World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez, Warren Kiamco, Rodolfo Luat and Joven Bustamante, among others. Reigning world no.1 Dennis Orcollo and Francisco “Django” Bustamante, who are campaigning in the United States, sent their representatives.

They said that having nothing against BSCP and they are willing to reestablish their ties with the association “if all the issues are resolved.

Saez Survives Late Surge to Win Q-Master Billiards Tourney

Robb Saez survived a late-game surge in a final race to 11 versus Josh Brothers to take first place in the Q-Master Billiards 9-ball tournament in Virginia Beach the weekend of August 2-3. Hosted by Q-Master Billiards, the $2000-added plus entry fee to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships event drew 45 entrants.

Saez and Brothers met first in the hot seat match, after defeating Eric Moore and Chris Futrell, respectively. Saez sent Brothers to the semifinals with a 9-5 victory in that match.

On the one-loss side, Manny Chau and Alejandro Calderon picked up Futrell and Moore after dropping Eddie Abraham and Brandon Pureza into a tie for fifth place. Calderon advanced to the quarterfinals with a hill-hill victory over Futrell, but Chau fell to Moore in another hill-hill match. Moore advanced to the semifinals with a 9-7 victory over Calderon but finished in third place on the heels of a 9-7 defeat at the hands of Brothers.

In the race-to-11 finals, Saez took an early 2-1 lead before Brothers responded with four straight racks to go ahead 5-2. Saez came back with five racks of his own, including two in which the 9 ball dropped on his break. Behind 7-5, Brothers fought back to an 8-8 and then 9-9 tie before Saez reached hill first. Saez scratched on the subsequent break, and Brothers ran the rack to knot it at hill-hill. Brothers broke the final rack, making the 1 ball, but failed at a safety on the 2. Saez picked it up and ran the final rack to finish it.

Results:
1st Robb Saez
2nd Josh Brothers
3rd Eric Moore
4th Alejandro Calderon
5th Chris Futrell
6thManny Chau
7th Eddie Abraham
8thBrandon Pureza
9th Mike Fuller
10thMatt Clatterbuck
11thShaun Wilkie
12thDave Alley
13th Dave Bollman
14thRob Tole
15thWillie Simpson
16thMatt Krah

Raj “The Hitman” Hundal

“I live life in the fast lane, that’s the truth,” smiled Raj Hundal. “I think I live every day like it’s my last, almost. Try to get the most out of it, that’s my mentality. That’s why when I’m behind in matches, I’m not scared at that point.” Hailing from Hounslow in the United Kingdom, Hundal was six when he began playing on his cousin’s snooker table. When his father saw Raj beating not only his cousins but his uncles as well, he took his son to the snooker room.

“I was way too short to play, so I used to have a beer crate about a foot high,” remembered Hundal. “I used to play a shot, drag the beer crate around, and jump up on it and play another shot. I had a real passion for the game, to play snooker. I was crazy as a kid.”

From there, he began playing in handicapped events at 10 and had his first “century break” when he was 13. Hundal became of the UK’s top junior snooker players and made the natural progression into 9-ball when he sighted a poster for an upcoming event. Playing with a snooker cue and a house stick, he ended up taking third place.

His game steadily improved, and it wasn’t long before he made a name for himself as one of the top 9-ballers in Britain. Off to the World Pool Championships in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, he was matched up with one of the toughest players in the world, Chin-Shun Yang, in Yang’s hometown, and won.

“There were five hundred guys in the audience rooting for him, and three guys rooting for me. That was a big win for me, I thought that the whole world was against me, but I really love that. I got a big buzz off of it.” He was eliminated by Rodney Morris from that event but got his revenge a couple of months later when he bested the Hawaiian in the finals of the World Pool Masters.

“Everyone’s as good as each other. On their own day, anyone can be the greatest,” Hundal averred. “I think that as professional athletes and sportsmen that the world actually looks up to, we should set an example.”

Thorsten Hohmann

Thorsten “The Hitman” Hohmann currently resides in Fulda, Germany. Hohmann is regarded as one of the greatest sportsman in billiards and is the epitomy of what a professional pool player should be. Already a remarkable career at his young age, Hohmann went through the proper ranks from junior champion to World Champion. One of the few players coached and trained from his first time at the table by nationally reknowned coaches, Hohmann gives students insight on why the Europeans are so consistent and successful on the world scene in billiards.

Titles Accomplishments:

• World 9-Ball Champion
• World 14.1 Champion
• BCA Open Champion
• North American 8-Ball Open Champion
• European Junior Champion

Sponsored by Lucasi Universal Smartshaft
Managed by Dragon Promotions

Tony Robles

Tony Robles, known as The Silent Assassin , currently resides in New York City. He is considered one of the greatest billiards instructors and players in the world by his peers. He is beloved by fans and players alike for his soft spoke manner and honest approach to life.

Robles is one of the instructors in the world who executes what he preaches as he is still a force to be reckon with on the pro scene. Robles in past surveys by Pro Pool School Student polls has always come out to be their favorite instructor. He also has taken time to create the Predator 9-Ball tour which plays events thoughtout the northeastern U.S.

Titles Accomplishments:

• BCA Open Champion
• NJ 14.1 Champion
• Mosconi Cup Team USA Winner

Sponsored by Predator Cues Excelsior Graphics

Abraham Cracks Egg Harbor Billiards Event

Eddie Abraham earned first place at the July 27 stop of the Blaze 9-Ball Tour, defeating Adam Kielar in the finals. Atlantic City Billiard Club in Egg Harbor, NJ, hosted the one-day event, which garnered 45 top pool players from the Northeast.

Abraham went undefeated to the finals, taking victories over Joey Testa 7-5, Danko Campese 7-3, Matt Krah 7-6, and Allen Hopkins 7-2.  Leading the bottom half of the bracket was Dawn Hopkins, notching wins over Lloyd Price 7-1, Mel Free 7-2, Rob Palm 7-4, Christine Liotti 7-2, and Evan Bostron 7-1.

Hopkins and Abraham met up in the winners’-side finals. In this lopsided match, Abraham handled Hopkins easily, sending her to the semifinals with a 7-2 victory. Waiting there for her was Kielar, who pulled away to win the match 6-3 and reach the finals.

Kielar had to best Abraham twice in the finals to win the tournament. The first set went hill-hill, with Kielar winning 7-6. In the second set, Abraham won easily 6-3.

Results:
1st Eddie Abraham
2nd Adam Kielar
3rd Dawn Hopkins
4th Joey Testa
5th Evan Boston
Allen Hopkins
7th Matt Krah
8th Mike Miller

Bata-Led Team Begins Qatar World Open 9-Ball Campaign

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY - Filipino pool maestro Efren "Bata" Reyes will lead the assault of a strong Philippine contingent as the tough Qatar Open 9-Ball tournament gets going on June 29-July 5 at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation, Al Muntazah Road , Doha , Qatar.

Fondly called "The Magician" in the pool arena, the pride of Angeles City, Pampanga is aching to bounce back from the embarrassment he suffered in the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup in Cebu against a virtually unknown Rodrigo Geronimo, 9-1.

"I hope to perform well in Qatar World 9-Ball Open after my sub-par performance in Cebu Open ," said Reyes. " But what ever happen, I wish a Filipino can win the championship's trophy in Qatar," added Reyes, who is the first Filipino World Pool Champion in 1999.

Other notable Filipino bets competing here are Francisco "Django" Bustamante, world No.1 Dennis Orcollo, reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza and Warren Kiamco.

Former Asian snooker champion Marlon Manalo, 2007 Manny Pacquiao International 9-ball Open titlist Jeffrey De Luna and 2006 Doha Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Gabica will also see action in this event that offers $40,000 to the winner. They will take a short rest after grueling battles in the Puerto Princesa Cup, second leg of the Philippine Pool Tour before heading to Qatar.

Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) president Ernesto Fajardo expressed optimism on the Filipinos' chances in this tournament despite a tiring schedule they encountered. "We have a good chance in this event," said Fajardo. "Our players are coming off from separate tournaments. These tournaments might sharpen them a bit for the Qatar tournament."     

Taiwanese ace Chia-Ching Wu, who ruled the second leg of the RP Pool Tour, will also join the event along with compatriot Pin-Yi Ko, the reigning world junior champion. A formidable cast of foreign participants from Europe and the United States will also compete. Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann of Germany and Johnny Archer and Shane Van Boening of the US are also the favorites in the tournament.   All these players are already seeded in the tournament proper of this $150,000 event.

Cebu leg champion Gandy Valle, Ramil Gallego and snooker specialist Benjie Guevarra will participate in the stage one elimination on June 27.  However, if another slot opens in the main draw, the Japan-based Gallego is the top priority according to Fajardo because his superb performance in the past.

Around 96 players will see action in this event. They will be divided into eight groups with 12 players each. They will play in a double elimination, alternate break, race-to-nine format.