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Thursday, February 24, 2005
Corteza stuns veteran Luat
By Marianne L. Saberon
LEE Vann Corteza kept his composure down to the last frame to humble veteran campaigner Rodolfo Luat, 9-7, but fellow Dabawenyo Gandy Valle succumbed to costly errors and fell at the hands of Alex Pagulayan, 6-9, in the Hope P1M All-Filipino Billiards Open Tuesday.
Corteza, a 25-year old native of Mintal, Davao City, will next play Antonio Gabica in the winners bracket today at the IBC 13 studios.
Valle, however, was set to play against Joven Alba in the losers bracket at the Ever Gotesco Mall in Quezon City as of press time.
Corteza said: "Suwerte lang ako sa bola. Inisip ko lang na bigyan Niya ako ng pagkakataon at ibinigay rin niya (I just got lucky, I was thinking that God would give me the opportunity and He did)."
The 2004 Asian 9-ball Manila leg champion took the first rack but Luat levelled it off at 1-1.
He took advantage of Luat's error in the third frame to grab a 2-1 lead.
A series of errors on both sides ensued in the fourth frame, but Corteza's 3-ball scratch paved the way for a Luat run out and the score was tied anew, 2-2.
Corteza came up dry in his break in the fifth rack which Luat took advantage to claim the next two frames and pull ahead, 4-2.
He came back to win the seventh and eighth frames, via Luat's safety error, to force a 4-4 standoff.
Corteza got the ninth frame after Luat conceded to a safety error but the latter again took the next rack for a 5-5 equalizer.
Corteza suffered another bad break as Luat won the 11th frame. Luat succumbed to another safety error that eventually gave Corteza the 12th rack for another tie, 6-6.
Corteza then took advantage of Luat's miscues and never looked back to snatch the next three frames for the win.
On his match against Gabica, Corteza said: "Hindi pa kami nagkakatapat sa kahit anong tournament. Malakas siyang mag-break at maingat (I haven't played him yet. He makes strong breaks and is careful)."
Gabica was a 9-4 winner over Efren "Bata" Reyes.
Valle, a 1998 Asian Games gold medallist, will have to win his match against Alba to remain in contention in the losers bracket.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (February 23, 2005 issue)
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