Sunday, February 7, 2010

RP POOL TEAM FINISH SECOND IN THE 1ST WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

TEAM Great Britain showed better control of their nerves in the crucial moments as they carved a smashing 4-1 win over Philippine Team late Sunday to capture the first-ever World Team Championship being held at the Hall 13 Hannover Exhibition Grounds in Hannover, Germany.

With the feat, The Britons composed of reigning World 9-ball champion Daryl Peach, 2008 World Ten-Ball Champion Darren Appleton, Karl Boyes, Mark Gray and Imram Majid received the top prize of $100,000.


Lee Van Corteza, Antonio Lining, Dennis Orcollo, Edgar Acaba, Marlon Manalo, Ronato Alcano, Warren Kiamco
Team Philippines 


The Filipinos headed by BSCP vice-president Edgar Acaba designated as team manager, former World 9-ball and 8-ball champion Ronato Alcano, last year International Predator 10-ball ruler Dennis Orcullo, former snooker champion Marlon Manalo, two-time BSCP National Pool title-holder Lee Vann Corteza, Japan based Antonio Lining and Southeast Asian games 9-ball gold medalist Warren Kiamco settled for a runner-up purse of $50,000.

Losing-Semifinalists Greece and Russia, on the other hand received $30,000 each in the 48-nation tournament, the first of its kind and sanctioned by the World Pool Billiard Association (WPA), stakes a total purse of $400,000 (roughly P19.2 million) and uses a point-system scoring patterned after the famous Davis Cup in international tennis.

The Filipinos which is backed up by Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) headed by its president Sebastian "Baste" Chua and its chairman Florentino "Yen" Makabenta, Raya Sports, Bugsy Promotions and Negros Billiards Stable, had a great start with a 6-1 thrashing victory over the Britons in the first game of 8-ball Scotch doubles event.

After the loss, the Britons bounced back winning their second game of 8-ball Scotch doubles event, 6-1, to level the count at 1-all in the race-to-4 affair.

Then Gray, Boyes and Appleton, made it 4-1 for Team Great Britain to snatch the over-all championships’ trophy.

Gray downed Lining, 8-2, in the 1st 9-ball game, Boyes edged Corteza, 8-7, in the 2nd 9-ball game and Appleton toppled Orcullo, 7-1, in the 2nd 10-ball game.

Actually, Alcano was already leading 2-1 against Appleton in the 1st 10-ball game but it was halted after Appleton won in the 2nd 10-ball game.

On the road to the finals, the Filipinos beat England II (4-0), Czech Republic (4-1), Norway (4-2), Poland (4-2) and Russia (4-1) to arrange a titular showdown with Great Britain, who brought downed Norway (5-1) lost to Sweden (4-2) then blanked Israel (4-0) and Germany (4-0) then edged China (4-3) and Greece (4-2), respectively.

By Marlon Bernardino