EIGHT-division world boxing champion Sarangani Cong. Manny Pacquiao, who is also starting a professional basketball career in the PBA starting next month, may add billiards to his expertise as his tandem with former two-time world champion Ronnie Alcano drew first blood at the start of the MP Cup-GenSan Tuna Festival International Open 10-Ball Doubles Tournament at SM City General Santos City on Wednesday.
Pacquiao, who just returned from a press tour in the United States for his Nov. 22 fight with Chris Algieri, joined forces with Calamba, Laguna native Alcano to hack out a 9-6 win over Allan Abduhalim-Manolo Tanasas in the knockout format eliminations of the $100,000-rich cuefest sanctioned by the World Pool Association.
Dennis Orcollo of Surigao del Sur and Carlo Biado also advanced by crushing the Milan-Daz pair, 9-1, along with Digos City’s Oliver Villafuerte and Davao City’s Ruben Cu?a who breezed past Bobby Pacquiao-Patrick Gonzales, 9-2.
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Davao City’s Gandy Valle and Fil-Canadian ex-world 9-ball champion Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan also stayed alive by cruising past Besidas-Natividad, 9-5.
The pair of Tagum City’s Alex Lumpay and Davao’s Richard Rollo, however, absorbed a heartbreaking 8-9 loss to Chinese Taipei tandem of Yi Ko Pin-Ping Chung.
Raymund Faraon and Renemar David sent Ygloria-Lagsila packing, 9-5, while the duo of Max Eberle- Darwin Bernadaz nipped Rebong-Medinilla, 9-8, and E. Martinez- Horace Angor edged Jordan Legaspi-Resty Labastida also on the same note, 9-8.
Jerico Banares and Ricky Zerna, on the other hand, subdued female pair Rubilen Amit and Zamboanga City’s Irish Ra?ola, 9-6.
Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante drew a bye and will open their bid today instead along with Lee Vann Corteza and Jundel Mazon.
Tournament manager Edgar Acaba said a total of 51 teams joined the event that offers $40,000 to the champion.
The runner-up will settle for $18,000 while the third and fourth-placers will pocket $8,000 each. The fifth to sixth placers will get $5,000 each while the seventh to eighth placers will claim $3,000 apiece and the ninth to 12th teams will claim $1,500 apiece. The 13th to 16th placers will go home with $1,000 each.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on September 11, 2014.
