JERICO BANARES EYES WORLD JUNIOR 9-BALL CROWN

REIGNING NATIONAL JUNIOR CHAMPION Jerico Banares enjoys the chance to carry the Philippine Flag.
“Excited ako na dalhin ang pangalan ng bansa,” said Banares. “Parang nakakasawa na rin kasi na puro money game ang nilalaro.”
The 19-year-old from Antipolo City will anchor the country’s campaign in the World Junior Pool Championship (9-ball), which begins on Monday at the Sands Regency Hotel in Reno, Nevada.
Banares, who appeared in the SCOOP sa Kamayan Forum on Friday, is tipped to challenge reigning world junior champion Ko Pin-yi of Chinese Taipei for the title this year.
But Banares doesn’t want to focus his attention on one opponent.
“Wala namang unbeatable sa bilyar,” he said. “Kahit si Ko Pin-yi hindi nakakasigurado.”
The Taiwanese dominated the event since its inception in the early ’90s. The other Taiwanese players in the field are Chiang Chieh-an and Lin Kui-ming.
Banares is, by no means, intimidated. He’s accustomed to playing against highly rated foes.
He has already beaten former world champion Thorsten Hohmann of Germany twice this year, both in tournament setting.
“Malaking bagay ‘yung naging exposure ko sa mga international competitions. Napatunayan ko sa sarili ko na kaya kong labanan ‘yung mga dati napapanood ko lang,” said Banares.
Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) deputy secretary-general Boying Santos Viola is confident Banares will break the dynastic rule of Taiwanese in the annual event for Under-19 players.
“Jerico has the skills and the guts to play against topnotch oppositions,” said Viola, who joined the team in the weekly sports forum sponsored by Accel.
Meanwhile, reigning National Women’s Open champion Zemonette Oryan is also expected to do well in the girls’ division of the event.
Oryan, 19, is the first Filipina to play in the competition.
Fil-American Mary Rakin ruled the event twice while representing the United States.
Completing the team supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), BSCP and Raya Sports is 14-year-old Jonas Magpantay.
Magpantay, who hails from Bansud, Oriental Mindoro, earned a slot in the team after winning three local tournaments recently.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.