9-ball juniors tilt

Don’t look now, but Filipino cue artists are regaining their status in the international billiards and snooker community.

Diminutive Carlo Biado, for instance, has catapulted himself to the top of the World Billiards Asociation ranking, an honor bolstered by his ruling last month of the 28th Japan Open.

Even in the junior ranks, the young Filipino campaigners have been making waves not only in the Asian circuit but in the world tour, with rising stars Jeffrey Roda and Basil Alshaijar fashioning out a 1-2 finish in last month’s Asian Junior Championship in Taipei.

In light of this development, the Billiards Sports Confederation of the Philippines is embarking on a program aimed at continuing the gains achieved by the local cue aces.

“Yes, we have decided to come up with the First National Juniors 9-Ball Championship,” said BSCP president Bong Ilagan.

The tournament is a twoweekend affair starting Friday at the RMSC billiards and snooker center located at the 2nd floor of the PSC Medical Center.

“We have invited the country’s finest junior players through the local government units. Meron na ngang mga dumating at naka-billet sa north and south wing of the track-football stadium courtesy of the Philippine Sports Commission.

The competition will also serve as the basis for ranking local junior players. The top three players will qualify to the World Juniors Championships this coming November in Singapore.