MANILA - Cebuanos Antonio “Gaga” Gabica and Israel “Amay” Rota came up with scintillating performances to keep the Philippine flag high in the 2009 Qatar International 9-ball Pool Championship in Doha, Qatar.

Gabica and Rota bested their rivals to earn seats in the Sweet 16 and remain in contention for the $40,000 champion’s purse.

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Gabica, the 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball gold medalist, beat top seed Mateusz Sniegocki, 11-5. Rota, who teaches billiards in the Middle East, trounced Radoslaw Babica, 11-5.

Gabica will slug it out with Wang Hsiang Hung of Chinese-Taipei, who brought down Dimitri Jungo of Switzerland, while Rota goes up against Mika Immonen of Finland.

Immonen defeated Mariusz Skoneczny of Poland, 11-10.

Three Pinoys were not as lucky and failed to advance to the final 16.

Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo, Jeffrey “The Bull” de Luna and Raymond Faraon all faltered in the round of 32.

Manalo bowed to Shane Van Boening, 11-8; de Luna lost to Neils Feijen, 11-9; and Faraon lost to 2007 world pool champion Daryl Peach of Great Britain, 11-4. (PR)