HE MAY have failed in Singapore, but Alex “Lion” Pagulayan made sure his was the loudest roar in his first visit to Cebu to join the Sun.Star Superbalita 9-Ball Challenge.
Pagulayan, who lost in the Singapore leg of the Guinness Tour, won the Open Division title and bagged the P160,000 purse over 2002 champion and Cebu’s Antonio “Gaga” Gabica with a thrilling 13-10 win.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to win this tournament for the first time when I joined. If I had known that Cebu is a great city and this tournament is also that great I would have joined here a long time ago. I’m grateful that I am here winning the title,” said Pagulayan after the game.
Pagulayan literally roared when he pocketed the nine in the 23rd rack, while Gabica sat helplessly as he watched the 2004 World Pool champion clean up the table after scratching the cue ball on his break a rack earlier.
The game was pretty even early before Gabica took slight control of the table midway with a 7-5 lead.
The 2006 Asian Games 9-Ball gold medalist had the chance to stretch his lead but he scratched on his attempt on the eight and Pagulayan stayed within 6-7 before the Cebuano master made it 8-6.
But luck was just not on Gabica’s side as he again scratched on his break in the 15th rack and Pagulayan got his momentum from there. The Canada-raised master stringed up three straight racks for a 9-8 lead.
Gabica managed to tie the game at nine, but failed to get the momentum and Pagulayan again won three straight racks for a 12-9 lead.
Gabica got his chance for a comeback when it was Pagulayan’s turn to scratch on the break in the 21st rack to go closer at 10-12 but returned the favor with a scratch in the next rack.
Frustrating
“I was just unlucky. I had the control of the table but my breaks were very frustrating while Alex had a great game. I can’t say more,” said Gabica who pocketed P80,000.
Pagulayan defeated Roberto Gomez, 10-4, in the quarterfinal round, while ousting Mike Takayama, 11-7, in the semifinals. It was Takayama who defeated the promising Cebuano Bebien Jabien, 10-3, in the quarterfinal round.
Gabica, on the other hand, defeated Ricky Zerna 10-5 in the quarterfinals and Lee Van Corteza 11-8 in the semis.
Corteza, on the other hand, won P40,000 after beating Takayama, 11-9. Takayama took home P30,000.
In Class B, Reymar Naraiso defeated Adonis Anthony, 10-6, to pocket P20,000, while Maxell Bernadez defeated Antonio Cose, 8-5, for the third place.
Top bet James Rama, on the other hand, proved too much for Keith Manayon following a 9-3 victory in the high school finals. Gerwin Bathan placed third after scoring a 8-5 win over Gerald Pontanar.
The elementary division was dominated by the strong bet, Adrian Bedua, who defeated John Mark Dingson, 8-4 in the finals, while Anthony Raga won third place after surviving with Martin Zacarias, 6-5. (RCM)
