Centeno pockets World Jr 9-ball Championship in China

MANILA, Philippines -- Chezka Centeno capped off an amazing year by winning the 2015 World Junior 9-Ball Championship in Shanghai, China defeating Xia Yuying of host China, 9-3, in the finals.

Centeno won over Xia’s compatriots Wang Xiaoting, 9-2, in the quarterfinals, and blanked Teng Jiang in the semifinals on her way to the finals. 

Her latest title romp came a few days after her father celebrated his birthday.

The Zamboanga City teenager is a product of the Philippine National Games, the project of the Philippine Sports Committee. At the middle of this year, Centeno also represented the country in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore where she won a gold medal in the women 9-ball singles at the expense of compatriot and long-time face of Philippine women's billiards Rubilen Amit. 

She has long been considered as the future of Philippine women’s cue sports and is expected to carry on the torch from long-time national players Amit and Iris Ranola.

Source: Earl Leonard Sebastian of The Philippine Star

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Centeno, Chua hold future of PH billiards

Rising cue artists Chezka Centeno and Johann Chua have earned their spurs to lead the next generation of Filipino pool stars.

Only 16 years old, Centeno made history recently by becoming the first Filipino to win the 2015 World Junior 9-Ball Championship in Shanghai while Chua topped the 48th All-Japan Championship in Amagasaki Prefecture.

Centeno demolished Xia Yuying of China, 9-3, in the title match to punctuate a marvelous year for the Zamboanga City teenager.

She earlier won the women’s 9-ball singles gold in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore at the expense of former women’s 10-ball world champion Rubilen Amit.

On the way to the title, Centeno toppled a wall of Chinese foes, beating Teng Jiang in the semifinals, 9-0, and Wang Xiaoting, 9-2, in the quarterfinals.

Chua dug himself out of a 0-5 hole to defeat former world 8-ball champ Ronnie Alcano in the all-Filipino finals, 11-7, in Japan.

Tying the match in the 14th rack, Chua finally gained control and finished off Alcano by sweeping the next four frames.

The pride of Bacolod City pocketed $28,600 (P1.31 million) for his victory.

Chua made it to the finals by besting four-time US Open champion Shane Van Boening, 11-6, in the Final Four.

Source: June Navarro of Inquirer.net

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Amit enters World 9-Ball KO stage

photo (c) news.xinhua.net

Former world champion Rubilen Amit scored two straight victories to advance to the knockout stage of the 2015 Women’s World 9-Ball Championship being held at the Guilin Museum in Guilin, China.

The 33-year-old Amit outclassed American Sara Miller in her first assignment, 7-1, then followed it up with a close 7-6 win over Taiwanese Kuo Szu-Ting in Group 6.

Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Iris Ranola also had a good start, beating Angelina Magdalena Ticoalu of Indonesia via a 7-4 score in Group 7 of the tournament sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association.

Ranola guns for a spot in the knockout stage when she faces Chihiro Kawahara of Japan in the next round. Kawahara defeated Kamila Khodjaeva of Belgium, 7-4.

Teen sensation Chezka Centeno, on the other hand, lost to Taiwanese Wei Tzu-Chien in the first round, 4-7, in Group 2 but bounced back with a 7-2 win overt Ine Helvik of Norway.

|Centeno must win against Natalia Seroshtan of Russia in their do-or-die match in the loser’s column of the event which offers a total prize fund of $170,000 with the champion getting $42,000 and the runner-up pocketing $20,000.

Also making it to the knockout stage were Kim Ga Young of South Korea; Cho Chieh-Yu and Wei Tzu-Chien of Taiwan; Jasmin Ouschan of Austria; Allison Fisher of England; and Chinese players Zhou Doudo, Gao Meng, Fu Xiaofang, Han Yu, Chan Ya-Ting and Liu Shasha.

Source: The Manila Times

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PH begins campaign in 2015 Women’s World 9-Ball tilt

photo (c) seagames2015.com

Three Filipinas led by former world champion Rubilen Amit will be vying for honors in the prestigious 2015 Women’s World 9-Ball Championship beginning today at the Guilin Museum in Guilin, China.

Amit, the 2009 and 2013 Women’s World 10-Ball titlist, will be playing in Group 6 along with Sara Miller, Szu-Ting Kuo, Olivia Czuprynska, Jennifer Barreta, Hoe Shu Wah, Jasmin Ouschan and Kelly Fisher.

Amit will face Miller in the first round of the group stage as she aims to surpass her runner-up finish in the 2007 edition held in Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Joining Amit in the World Pool-Billiard Association-sanctioned tournament are Iris Ranola and teen sensation Czeska Centeno.

Ranola is in Group 7 with Yun Chen, Zhu Ting Wu, Choi Sollip, Jing Jia, Chihiro Kawahara, Kamila Khodjaeva and Angelina Magdalena Ticoalu while Centeno belongs to Group 2 with Chien Wei, Wu Jing, Ine Helvik, Line Kjorsvik, Gao Meng, Natalia Seroshtan and Yuan Chun Lin.

The former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Ranola battles Ticoalu and Centeno tackles Helvik in their opening round games.

The organizers employ a double elimination race-to-seven format in the eight-player group stage with the top four cue masters in each group will advance to the race-to-nine knockout stage.

A total of $170,000 cash prize is up for grabs with the champion gettinga whopping $42,000 and the runner-up taking home $20,000.

The Philippines has yet to win a title in the Women’s World 9-Ball tournament.

China has the most number of titles with six followed by England (5), Taiwan (3), US (3), South Korea (2), Ireland (1), Austria (1), Sweden (1) and Germany (1).

Source: Emil C. Noguera of The Manila Times

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US Open 9-Ball Championships 2015

  Team PHILIPPINES  

Athletes: 128 total participants

Filipino players: Carlo Biado, Warren Kiamco, Dennis Orcollo, Francisco Felicilda, Roberto Gomez, Jundel Mazon, Jeffrey Ignacio, Ramil Gallego

Format: Double Elimination - a player is eliminated when he loses twice

Carlo Biado

 - First Round: vs. G. Ramsey (USA) || WON 11-2

 - Winners Round 1: vs. B. Shuff (USA) || WON 11-5

 - Winners Round 2: vs. T. Hohmann (GER) || WON 11-3

 - Winners Round 3: vs. G. Shaw (ENG) || LOST 7-11

 - Losers Round 6: vs. D. Appleton (ENG) || WON 11-8
 - Losers Round 7: vs. C. Deuel (USA) || LOST 10-11
---ELIMINATED--- Rank 13th

Warren Kiamco

 - First Round: vs. A. Hopkins (USA) || WON 11-6
 - Winners Round 1: vs. F. Felicilda (PHI) || WON 11-9
 - Winners Round 2: vs. J. Klatt (CAN) || WON 11-9
 - Winners Round 3: vs. R. Souquet (GER) || LOST 4-11
 - Losers Round 6: vs. D. Orcollo (PHI) || LOST 4-11
---ELIMINATED--- Rank 17th

Dennis Orcollo

 - First Round: vs. S. Shaw (ENG) || WON 11-3 

 - Winners Round 1: vs. Nam PP (VIE) || WON 11-1

 - Winners Round 2: vs. J.H. Dang (CHN) || LOST 8-11

 - Losers Round 4: vs. K. Uchigaki (JPN) || WON 11-7

 - Losers Round 5: vs. S. Woodward (USA) || WON 11-4
 - Losers Round 6: vs. W. Kiamco (PHI) || WON 11-4
 - Losers Round 7: vs. M. Dechaine (USA) || WON 11-6
 - Losers Round 8: vs. O. Ortmann (GER) || WON 11-10
 - Losers Round 9: vs. H. Liu (CHN) || LOST 6-11

--ELIMINATED--- Rank 7th

Francisco Felicilda

 - First Round: vs. S. Moore (USA) || WON 11-6
 - Winners Round 1: vs. W. Kiamco (PHI) || LOST 9-11
 - Losers Round 2: vs. E. Dominguez (MEX) || WON 11-9
 - Losers Round 3: vs. J. Rodriguez (USA) || WON 11-6
 - Losers Round 4: vs. K. Corr (IRL) || WON 11-5
 - Losers Round 5: vs. T. Hohmann (GER) || WON 11-6
 - Losers Round 6: vs. R. Morris (USA) || LOST 10-11
---ELIMINATED--- Rank 17th

Roberto Gomez
 - First Round: vs. J. Siekkinen (FIN) || WON 11-9
 - Winners Round 1: vs. S. Van Boening (USA) || LOST 9-11
 - Losers Round 2: vs. F. Hernandez (USA) || WON 11-6
 - Losers Round 3: vs. TN Nguyen (VIE) || WON 11-3
 - Losers Round 4: vs. M. Daigle (CAN) || WON 11-8
 - Losers Round 5: vs. D. Grabe (EST) || LOST 8-11
---ELIMINATED--- Rank 25th

Jundel Mazon
 - First Round: vs. J. Sossei (USA) || LOST 7-11
 - Losers Round 1: vs. J. Padron (USA) || WON 11-2
 - Losers Round 2: vs. M. Wong (USA) || WON 11-7
 - Losers Round 3: vs. B. Shuff (USA) || WON 11-4
 - Losers Round 4: vs. N. Ekonomopoulos (GRE) || WON 11-8
 - Losers Round 5: vs. J. Klatt (CAN) || WON 11-5
 - Losers Round 6: vs. J.H. Dang (CHN) || WON 11-9
 - Losers Round 7: vs. J. Ignacio (PHI) || WON 11-8
 - Losers Round 8: vs. R. Chinakhov (RUS) || LOST 5-11

---ELIMINATED--- Rank 9th

Jeffrey Ignacio
 - First Round: vs. K. Brisbon (USA) || LOST 10-11
 - Losers Round 1: vs. R. Ferry (USA) || WON 11-1
 - Losers Round 2: vs. E. Strickland (USA) || WON 11-5
 - Losers Round 3: vs. S. Wilkie (VIE) || WON 11-6
 - Losers Round 4: vs. A. Kazakis (GRE) || WON 11-8
 - Losers Round 5: vs. M. Teustcher (NED) || WON 11-6
 - Losers Round 6: vs. M. Imonen (FIN) || WON 11-8
 - Losers Round 7: vs. J. Mazon (PHI) || LOST 8-11
---ELIMINATED--- Rank 13th

Ramil Gallego
 - First Round: vs. R.Chinakhov (USA) || LOST 4-11
 - Losers Round 1: vs. C. Rocha (USA) || WON 11-7
 - Losers Round 2: vs. R. Babica (POL) || WON 11-7
 - Losers Round 3: vs. E. Richadson (USA) || WON 11-1
 - Losers Round 4: vs. J. Klatt (CAN) || LOST 5-11
---ELIMINATED--- Rank 33rd

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Amit finishes 2nd in Beijing Miyun 9-Ball

photo (c) news.xinhuanet.com

Former world champion Rubilen Amit settled for the runner-up honors in the 2015 Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) Beijing Miyun 9-Ball International Tournament held in Beijing, China.

The 34-year-old Mandaue, Cebu pride absorbed a close 9-11 decision at the hands of World No. 2 Chen Siming of China in the championship match.

Chen started strong with a 5-2 lead when Amit unleashed powerful breaks and flawless ball placing in the next frames to take an 8-6 advantage.

The Chinese player, however, capitalized on Amit’s costly errors to regain the lead, 10-8. Amit cleared the 19th rack to save a match point, 9-10, but Chen kept her composure en route to winning her second-straight CBSA title.

Amit, a two-time World Women’s 10-Ball champion, made it to the finals by ousting Chinese Gao Meng in the semifinals, 9-5.

She also defeated South Koreans Eunji Park in the first round, 9-5, and Ga Young Kim in the quarterfinals, 9-8.

It was Amit’s third runner-up finish this year after placing second in the Amway World Pool-Billiard Association Women’s 9-Ball World Open held in Taipei, Taiwan in April.

Amit also wound up second in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games 9-Ball event held in Singapore where she lost to compatriot Czeska Centeno in the gold-medal match.

Source: Emil C. Noguera of The Manila Times

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All PH pool bets crash out in World 9-Ball

The vaunted Filipino challenge fizzled out in the World 9-ball Championship on Thursday, with all five hopefuls crashing out of contention in Doha.

Former world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo was the last of the Filipinos to fall after barging into the quarterfinals only to be waylaid by American Shane van Boening.

Orcollo’s defeat was stunning as he flashed good form to best American Hunter Lombardi, 11-7, in the last 32, and former world champion Darren Appleton of Britain, 11-2, in the last 16.

Warren Kiamco subdued Jalal Youself, to reach the last 16, where he yielded to Taiwanese Ko Pin-yi, 11-9. Bowing out of the last 32 were Carlo Biado, Jeffrey Ignacio and Oliver Medenilla.

Biado lost to Yi, 11-4; Ignacio got beat by Singaporean Aloisius Yap, 11-6; and Medenilla faltered against Taiwanese Chang Yu-long, 11-4.

The semifinals of the $200,000 event pits van Boening against Taiwanese Ko Pin-ching, younger brother of Pin-yi, who will clash with China’s Wu Jiaqing.

Source: Roy Luarca of Inquirer.net

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Dennis Orcollo, four other Pinoys reach knockout stage of World 9-Ball Championship

FIVE Filipinos led by former world champion Dennis Orcollo advanced outright to the round-of-64 of the World 9-Ball Championship following victories in the winners’ bracket in Doha, Qatar.

Orcollo defeated Hosain Sayeem of Bangladesh, 9-6, the second win in Group 13 for the former 8-ball title holder and 2015 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist in Singapore.

Also moving to the knockout stage are Carlo Biado, Jeffrey Ignacio, Raymond Faraon, and Antonio Gabica.

Biado, who also won a gold medal in the doubles competition of the SEA Games this year, defeated Daniele Corrieri of Italy, 9-5, to make the final 64 from Group 8 while Jeffrey Ignacio beat Jason Klatt of Canada, 9-6, in Group 15.

Faraon downed Porpel Mohan Nadali of Iran, 9-4, in Group 4, while Gabica, a gold medalist in the 2006 Asian Games and now based in Qatar, turned back Singha Fahim of Bangladesh, 9-7, in Group 16.

Warren Kiamco, Oliver Medenilla, and Johan Chua are still aiming for a spot in the round-of-64 via the losers’ bracket.

Source: Reuben Terrado of Spin.ph

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‘Bata’ batters foes in Jersey tilt

Legendary cue master Efren “Bata” Reyes ruled the 2015 Accu-Stats Make It Happen One-Pocket Championship held in Edison in New Jersey.

Reyes outclassed American Danny Smith, 3-1, in their best-of-five championship series.

The 60-year-old Reyes got off to a hot start, winning Game 1 (8-7) and Game 2 (8-1) until Smith bounced back with an 8-0 victory in Game 3.

Reyes, however, retaliated with his own 8-0 win in Game 4 to seal the win.

He pocketed the $5,000 top purse while Smith settled for the $4,000 colsolation prize.

Reyes advanced to the finals after finishing 4-1 in the round-robin elimination round.

The Filipino champion defeated Scott Frost (3-2), Justin Hall (3-0), compatriot Alex Pagulayan (3-0), and Shane Van Boening (3-2).

It was Reyes’ first title this year following his second-place effort in the 2015 Derby City Classic (DCC) Master of the Table and third-place trophy in the DCC 9-Ball Banks Division.

Recently, he won a bronze medal in the men’s individual cushion carom of the 2015 Southeast Asian Games held in Singapore.

Source:Emil C. Noguera of Manila Times

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Carlo Biado, Warren Kiamco rule 9-ball doubles to hike Philippines' SEA Games gold medal haul to five

SINGAPORE — Carlo Biado and Warren Kiamco beat Vietnam, 9-6, to capture the gold medal in the 28th Southeast Asian Games men's 9-ball doubles on Sunday at the OCBC Arena Hall 4.

Biado and Kiamco collected billiards and snookers’ first gold in the SEA Games with victory over the team of Do Hoang Quan and Nguyen Anh Tuan.

The Philippine duo broke serve, taking advantage of a miss on the 1-ball by the Vietnamese pair in the alternate break format for a 6-3 lead.

Do and Nguyen mounted a comeback and sliced the gap to one rack at 7-6 but bungled another 1-ball, allowing Biado and Kiamco to reach the hill.

“Malaking error sa kanila ’yun. Kung nakuha nila ’yun, magiging gitgitan na ’yung laban kasi kahit nakaka-break ako ng maganda, hindi benta ’yung uno,” said Biado.

Despite two dry breaks by Biado, rated number one by the World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA), and an illegal break by Kiamco, the Philippine duo managed to recover.

“Masyado kong pineperfect ’yung break kaya na-dadry break ako. Pero okay lang dahil nag-error ’yung kalaban,” said Biado.

Source: Reuben Terrado of Spin.ph 

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28th SEA Games June 7 Results

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