Chua finishes in a 2-way tie in Japan 10-Ball

UNHERALDED Johann Gonzales Chua was the best Filipino finisher in the 45th All Japan 10-Ball Championships, as he shared the third place honors with Taiwanese Fu Che-Wei at the Archaic Hall in Amagasaki City in Hyogo.

Chua and Fu settled for third after succumbing to Taiwanese masters Yang Ching-Shun (8-11) and Chang Jung-Lin (9-11) in their respective semifinal matches. Chang then trounced Yang in the finals, 11-7, to pocket the $28,600 top purse while the latter got $14,300 consolation prize. Chua and Fu received $7,150 each. Former world champion Dennis Orcollo and Lee Van Corteza bowed out of in the quarterfinals of the tournament sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association. Orcollo lost to Wu, 4-11, while Corteza was beaten by Yang, 7-11.

Nevertheless, Orcollo and Corteza took home $3,600 apiece.

Valeriano Pajuay reached the Last 16 while Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Ramil Gallego, Dante Razalan, Jundel Mazon and Alex Pagulayan, who represented Canada, made it to the Last 32.

Busan Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Lining, Carlo Biado and Elvis Perez failed in their respective firstround matches in the knockout stage.

Other Filipino cue artists who competed in the tournament were group stage losers Jeffrey de Luna and Mark Aristotle Mendoza.