RP pool bets vow Asiad comeback

DESPITE A lackluster performance in the recent World Cup of Pool, the Philippine billiards team has vowed to come back in the 16th Asian Games set Nov. 12 to 27 in Guangzhou, China.
“The Philippine team is ready for this year’s Asiad,” said billiards official Bong Ilagan during a recent Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippine (Scoop) forum. “Filipino cue artists will be competing in 10 events, hoping to win at least five gold medals,” he stressed.
When it comes to picking the Philippines’ best bets to win the most number of gold medals in the Guangzhou Asiad, the billiards team is ahead of the pack.
The country will be fielding four World Pool 9-Ball champions in Francisco “Django” Bustamante (2010), Ronnie Alcano (2006), Alex Pagulayan (2004) and the legendary Efren “Bata” Reyes (1999). Can you beat that?
Also in the lineup of what has been called  the “Dream Team” by the local media is former world No. l Dennis Orcollo, who teamed up with Roberto Gomez and lost in the finals to China’s inspired tandem of Fu Jianbo and Li Hewen last Sunday at the Robinsons Mall in Ermita.
Orcollo and Reyes will see action in 8-ball singles, Warren Kiamco and Orcollo in 9-ball singles, Marlon Manalo and Benjamin Guevarra in snooker singles and Alvin Barbero, Manalo and Guevarra  in snooker team.
Competing in the English Billiards singles  are Rey Grandea and Barbero, while Rodolfo Luat and Grandea will play in Carom 3 Cushions singles.
In women’s play, reigning world women’s 10-ball champion Rubilen Amit and Iris Rañola will see action in 8-ball and 9-ball singles while Mary Ann Basas and Floriza Andal will vie in Snooker 6 Red Ball singles. Playing in the Snooker 6 Red Ball team are Zemonetter Oryan, Basas and Andal.
Ilagan said he’s pinning his hopes on the country’s winning the Asiad gold in the 
8-ball and 9-ball singles in both men’s and women’s competitions and one in the Snooker 6 Red Ball hostilities.
“China and Chinese-Taipei will be the biggest threat to the Philippines,” he added.
(Antonio Gabica won the country’s lone billiards gold in the Doha Asiad in Qatar in 2006 by topping the men’s 9-ball singles over compatriot Jeffrey de Luna. Both are not with the RP team this time.—Ed)    
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Unlike many of the country’s sports officials now, former Manila Mayor Mel Lopez did not spend a single centavo of government money in all his trips abroad when he was still very active in sports.
The former chair of the Philippine Sports Commission and president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines could not avail of the free trips because he said “there are other people who need the chance to travel and improve their lives.”
It was during his term as Abap president that the Philippines produced two of its last three Olympic boxing medalists.
In the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, Leopoldo Serantes captured a bronze medal, which Roel Velasco duplicated in Barcelona in 1992.