7 Pinoys brace for Jogya 10-Ball action

SEVEN Filipino cue masters will be competing in the 2018 Jogya 10-Ball International Open Billiards Tournament scheduled on March 9 to 11 at the Rama Billiards Pakualaman in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

World champion Carlo Biado banners the country’s campaign in the tournament, which offers a $34,000 cash prize including $12,000 to the champion and $6,000 to the runner-up.

Biado, fresh from claiming the Athlete of the Year award in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night, hopes to duplicate his impressive season last year.

He ruled the prestigious World 9Ball Championship in Doha, Qatar; earned a gold medal in the World Games in Wroclaw, Poland; and steered the national team to a twogold, one-silver, two-bronze output in the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“I hope to continue winning in international events to further uplift the Philippines in the world of billiards. I need to work hard to continue giving honors to our country,” said Biado.

Joining him in the lineup are Roland Garcia, Johann Chua, Jeffrey De Luna, Antonio Lining, Jeffrey Ignacio and Jerico Banares.

Garcia was Biado’s runner-up in the 2017 World 9-Ball Championship while Chua topped the 2017 All-Japan Championships.

The group stage will be played until March 8 to determine the 64 players who will play in the knockout phase.

Meanwhile, Zoren James Aranas and Roberto Gomez completed a 12 finish in the Music City Classic 2018 Midnight Madness held recently in Madison, Tennessee in US.

Aranas took home the $4,300 top prize while Gomez, the reigning Derby City Classic 10-Ball Challenge titlist, settled for $2,500 consolation purse.

Gomez bounced back in the Music City Classic 2018 Mini Tournament by toppling American Skyler Woodward in the finals.

He earned an additional $ 550 while Woodward got $350.