Saturday, October 14, 2006 Kiamco too much for upstart By Rommel C. Manlosa Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE experience and finesse of Cebuano cue master Warren Kiamco made his opponent Steve Villamil of Iloilo City extremely nervous.
And with his opponent out of focus, Kiamco won the game easily, 7-1, in front of a jampacked crowd at the E-Mall Activity Center for the TM Taco Masters Challenge 9-Ball Champions League Cebu Leg yesterday.
Kiamco, representing Cebu, was a seeded pro player, while Villamil was an amateur who had to go through elimination rounds before facing the international cue artist.
“It’s tough to play against big names. Like Warren I called him champ because he is one and it is my honor to play against him,” said Villamil after the game.
Potential
Villamil showed potential when he easily eliminated Crislie Amposta of Dumaguete City, 5-0, in the elimination round, and dominated over Michael Sumahit of Koronadal City, South Cotabato, 7-2, in the championship round. Sumahit marched into the finals when he defeated Noel Montillano of Misamis Oriental, 5-4, during the elimination.
Montillano took third place after beating Amposta 5-0.
Against Sumahit, Villamil seemed headed to give Kiamco a run for his money, dropping only the third and the seventh rack.
Flopped
However, Villamil flopped against Kiamco who cleaned up the first rack and made a 2 to 9 combination for a 2-0 lead.
These moves broke down Villamil’s spirit as he missed shots, made poor banks and safety as Kiamco, who hails from Pasil, Cebu City, erected a 5-0 lead.
Villamil had his chances when he won the sixth rack, but Kiamco was quick to regain control of the table and finished off his opponent with finesse.
“I just told him (Villamil) that he should stay focused after the game. Klaro kaayo nga gikuyawan. But it’s all part of being an amateur,” Kiamco told Sun.Star Cebu.
The tournament was organized by Rocketman Enterprise headed by Ramon Tuason and sponsored by Touch Mobile, Elizabeth Mall and Holiday Plaza Hotel.
