ALCANO READY FOR ASIAN GAMES BUT FIRST NEEDED TO PAST THRU QUALIFYING EVENT WHICH BEGINS TODAY

FORMER double world champion (WPA 8-ball and 9-ball) Ronato “Volcano” Alcano (left) and reigning International Predator 10-ball champion Dennis “Robocop” Orcullo (right) jointly raise the hand of Suzette M. Bernardo (center), a leading candidate for councilor in the fourth district of Quezon City, at the Bugsy Billiards Center in Tomas Morato, Quezon City on Saturday. Bernardo is the granddaughter of the late former Quezon City mayor Ponciano Bernardo. caption photo by Marlon Bernardino

AFTER a fruitful year in 2009, Ronato “Volcano” Alcano is eyeing another great year in the Year of the Tiger and in fact oozing with confidence in the forthcoming 16th Asian Games (also known as the XVI Asiad) Cue Sports Competition scheduled on November 12 to 27 in Guangzhou, China.

“I’m hoping to compete well in Guangzhou, Asian Games. I’m ready and confident,” said the former double world champion (WPA 8-ball and 9-ball) Alcano, who also won the country’s gold medal in the 8-ball competition during the 2009 Laos Southeast Asian Games.

“Pero kailangan muna tayong manalo sa qualifying event,” said the lanky cue artists from Calamba, Laguna.

But first, the Bugsy Promotion mainstay Alcano playing under the banner of sportsman/ businessman Perry Mariano needed to go through grueling qualification tournament which resume today, Monday at the Rizal Memorial Billiards Center in Malate, Manila.

Two Bugsy Promotions stalwarts—Roberto “Pinoy Superman” Gomez and Dennis “Robocop” Orcullo already booked their seat in the main draw after topping separate qualifying round.

The 2007 World Pool Championship finalist Gomez defeated fellow Bugsy team mate Orcullo, 13-11, in the finals of 8-ball competition last Monday, while Orcullo, the reigning International Predator 10-ball champion on the other hand edged hall of famer and greatest player of all time Efren “Bata” Reyes in a thrilling 13-12 decision win in the finals of 9-ball competition on Wednesday.

Aside from Gomez and Orcullo, other cue artists in the main draw of 16th Asian Games were Efren “Bata” Reyes (English Billiards), Reynaldo Grandea (Carom), Rodolfo “Boy Samson” Luat (3 Cusion), 2009 World Ten-Ball Champion Rubilen “Bingkay” Amit (9-ball), former US Women’s Open 9-Ball Finalist Irish Ranola (8-ball) and Mary Ann Basas (6-red ball).

“Right now, I feel we can win gold medals in the billiards competitions. We’re strong in the men’s 8-ball and 9-ball events and we can surprise our rivals in women’s billiards,” said Ceferino “Perry” Mariano, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) founding head in a recent interview.

The Billiards Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) qualification tournament is supervised by national billiards coach Boyet Asonto.

BY: Marlon Bernardino