VILLAR CUP PANAGBENGA LEG (day 2 second and final take)

BAGUIO CITY – Former two-time World Juniors campaigner Rene Mar “Revo” David bounced back from a couple of three-rack deficits to stun Efren “Bata” Reyes, 9-7, and advance into the quarterfinals of The Manny Villar Cup Panagbenga leg yesterday before a mammoth crowd at the Events Center of SM City Baguio.

The diminutive David displayed nerves of steel in cutting the billiards legend down to size.

After losing the first three racks to Reyes, the 19-year-old pride of Candon, Ilocos Sur took the next three to level the match. Reyes claimed four of the next five frames to go up 7-4.

But just as everyone from the spectators thought that the man they’re obviously rooting for was on his way to the victory, David had it otherwise, as he protected his own breaks and then capitalized on Reyes’ miscues to pocket five consecutive racks and post the biggest upset in this tournament presented by Senator Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports.

“Masayang-masaya ako sa pagkapanalo kong ito,” said David, a member of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions. “Isang napakalaking accomplishment ang talunin ang idol ng lahat ng bilyarista, kaya hinding-hindi ko malilimutan ang panalo kong ito.”

“Sana lang matuluy-tuloy pa ang pag-angat ko dahil gustung-gusto ko talagang magkaroon ng title, at sana dito mangyari ito sa Villar Cup,” he David, who won over Russian Petiza, 9-3, in the opening round.

Meanwhile, former world no.1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante recovered from a couple of racks down to dodge an upset ax wielded by another teenage upstart Jordan Legaspi and escape with a hard-earned 9-7 win to likewise march into the second round of this P800,000 event sponsored by Camella Communities.

In other Last 16 matches, former national champion Lee Van Corteza outlasted last year’s Bacolod leg titlist Rodolfo Luat, while rising star Egie Geronimo of Marilao, Bulacan upened Cebu leg winner Gandy Valle, 9-2.

Four other second round matches were being played at presstime, which include the match pitting Dennis Orcollo against Ricky Zerna, Warren Kiamco versus Benjie Guevarra, Ronnie Alcano opposite William Millares, and Roberto Gomez against Mike Takayama.

Orcollo, last year’s world no.1, flirted with disaster before summoning his true form to dispatch unheralded John Salazar, 9-7, and move past the first round in this sixth stop of the prestigious island-hopping series.

“Ang hirap talagang manalo dito sa Villar Cup, kailangan talagang lagi kang at your best,” said the 30-year-old pride of Surigao del Sur. “Magaling ding yang si Salazar, hindi nga lang nabibigyan noon ng chance.”

After protecting their own breaks in the first four racks, Orcollo was forced to surrender the fifth frame after committing a scratch on the break. That ignited Salazar’s 3-0 run for a 5-2 lead.

But Orcollo, who is known for his never-say-die attitude methodically crawled back in, and after tying the count at 7-all, he used his advantage in experience to claim the next two racks to clinch the win in this three-day event sponsored by Camella Communities.

He was to face Zerna, who advanced after edging out fellow rising star Michael Feliciano of Laguna, 9-8, in their first round encounter.

Other opening round matches saw defending champion Rodolfo Luat defeating Richard Pornelosa, 9-5; Corteza manhandling local bet Oscar La Puebla, 9-2; Bustamante subduing Godofredo Ducanes, 9-5; and qualifier Legaspi upending Bulacan leg winner Ramil Gallego, 9-5.

Also, Guevarra trounced another local bet in Benedict Rojo, 9-1; Kiamco, the Alabang leg champ, blasted former world champion Alex Pagulayan, 9-2; Alcano slipped past Carlo Biado, 9-7; Millares downed lone female entry Rubilen Amit, 9-5; Takayama thwarted Elmer Haya, 9-7; and Gomez nipped Jharome Pena, 9-7.

Matches up to the quarterfinals were slated to be played late yesterday with the semis and the title match schedule today.