Former Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle romped off to a strong start and then held his ground against repeated comeback tries waged by Ramil Gallego en route to a 9-5 victory and a seat to the quarterfinals of the First Senate President Manny Villar Cup Billiards Tournament yesterday at the Sports Center of StarMall Alabang in Muntinlupa City.
This as tournament top draw Efren "Bata" Reyes strung up eight consecutive racks to bounce back from a 3-1 deficit and thump rising star Benjie Guevarra, 9-3, to likewise advance into the Last 8.
Seeing action for just the second time in this P1 million-plus event after luckily drawing a bye in the first round and then trouncing reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza, 8-3, in the second, Valle explosively opened his duel with Gallego and quickly raced to a 7-2 lead.
"Medyo maganda ang tira ko saka minalas siya sa break – walang pumapasok – kaya nakaarangkada agad ako," the 31-year-old pride of Davao City and member of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions of businessman Perry Mariano said.
But just a when he taught that he would coast to an easy win, Valle was surprised when, after a timeout, Gallego came out smoking and ran out three consecutive racks to threaten at 7-5, before his break of the 13th frame went dry, allowing Valle back to the table for the finishing touches.
"I’m really determined to win this. It’s been so long since I last won a tournament this big," Valle, whose last major title was the 2007 Ocean State 9-Ball Tournament in New York, said.
He was to face fellow Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Lining, who repeated over 2007 national juniors champion Mark Mendoza, 9-6, in their Last 16 match.
Also moving a step closer to the R400,000 top purse in this five-day competition organized by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), and supported by Puyat Sports, Bugsy Promotions, Negros Billiards Stable and Star Mall are Warren Kiamco and Elmer Haya.
Kiamco, a former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, made mincemeat of fellow veteran internationalist Rodolfo Luat, 9-3, while Haya, a 31-year-old rising star from Zamboanga, upended Joven Bustamante, 9-4.
Both Kiamco and Haya are stalwarts of Jonathan Sy’s NBS, but only one of them will advance to the semifinals, as they drew each other in the quarterfinals set to be played last night.
The three other Last 16 matches are being played at presstime with current world No.1 Dennis Orcollo slugging out with Ricky Zerna, Corteza facing off with Carlo Biado, and Jundel Mazon playing with Jharome Peña.
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