MANILA, Philippines — The Negros Billiard Stable is joining the Manny Pacquiao 10-ball Panersera Pababa set Feb. 26-29 in General Santos City.
Offering a total purse of P500,000, the event promoted by the boxing superstar has drawn top players from Mindanao as well as the Visayas.
Christopher Palses, manager and coach of Negros Billiard Stable, said his players are joining the event mainly for exposure.
?I let them (NBS players) join the tournament not only because of the prize, but for them to be more competitive.? said Palses, the 2006 Bacolod 9-Ball handicapping champion.
The Negros Billiard Stable is scouting for talented cue players with the ultimate goal of producing a champion from the region.
?Angeles City, Pampanga, has Efren ?Bata? Reyes, Cabagan, Isabela, has Alex Pagulayan and Ronato Alcano had already given pride to his hometown Calamba, Laguna,? said Palses. ?We have many good billiard players here and I think one of them will bring honor to Bacolod soon.?
Expected to perform well for the Negrenses are Reynaldo Grandea, Panfilo Damuag and firecracker victim Jarry Pelayo.
The 48-year-old Grandea from Isabela, Negros Occidental, is a silver medalist in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games in carom balkline and bronze medalist in 3 cushion. Grandea is also a quarterfinalist in the 2006 Doha Asian Games in English billiard.
Damuag, who hails from South Cotabato, was champion of the 2001 Sagay Open and 2003 San Carlos 10-ball tour. He landed in the top 16 in the Solar Sports Fil-9 Ball Open and top 8 in the 2006 Bali Open 9-ball in Indonesia. He beat UK?s top player Raj Hundal and former world trick shot champion Italian Fabio Petroni in money game play last year.
Pelayo, from Bacolod City, was the 1999 Governor?s Cup Laguna Open champion and 2000 Six-Pocket-Blumentritt winner. He is making his international debut next month in Japan.
Other members of the team are Ricky Zerna, Jech Lemen, Jomel Sultan, Arturo Publico, Noel Caro, Felix Villegas, Tommie Gador and Romar Villones.
Lee Van Corteza, winner of the just-concluded 10-ball Grand Derby, and Rodolfo ?Boy Samson? Luat are also NBS members, but are not playing in Pacman?s billiard tournament being members of the national pool. Another NBS player, Israel Rota, is currently coaching in Qatar.
The NBS players are also set to compete in the 2nd BSCP National Pool Championships slated March 26-31 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
