THE Trade Hall of SM City Cebu was swarming with onlookers and billiard fanatics as the top two cue masters of the 1st Senate President Manny Villar Cup – Sun.Star Superbalita 9-Ball Challenge clashed in a grueling race to 11- championship battle last Sunday.
And after the grueling finally, former Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle didn’t disappoint after beating 2003 and 2006 Sun.Star Superbalita 9-Ball Challenge champion Dennis Orcullo, 11-5, to win his first title after five tries in the event.full story
Superbalita 9-Ball challenge to go international
THIS year’s staggering success of the Super Balita 9-Ball Challenge, which tied up with the Manny Villar Cup for the first time, has somehow raised the bar that would be the measure of all 9-Ball Challenges to come.
Next year, the event will go international.
Sun.Star Vice-President for Marketing (Cebu) Jayjay Neri said the seeded players have already pledged that they will be back. And to top it off, some former foreign world champions, upon learning of the cash prizes and the players that they will be up against, already promised to come next year. full story
A father’s influence
SOME parents will never tolerate having their children play billiards. Count Renato Cumayas out.
Cumayas and the rest of his clan were at SM City Cebu yesterday to cheer on his youngest son, Jerson, who went on to claim the elementary division title of the Manny Villar Cup-Sun.Star Super Balita 9-Ball Challenge over Joshua Ababon. .full story
A series of fortunate chances leads to title
Portallo had never played in huge competitions before and only played in money games with his teammates in Mandaue. In fact, Portallo stopped playing billiards when he decided to sign up for the Superbalita event.
All the way from Negros, Portallo, who has been job searching for the past two months, decided to stop his quest to drop by Cebu and try his luck in the competition. full story
