WORLD JUNIOR 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGINS TODAY

RENO, NEVADA—Gets Ready to Rumble. That’s how the 3-man Philippine team to the 2008 World Pool Billiard Association (WPA) Junior World 9-Ball Championships Pool describe by head coach Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. which will start on Monday (Tuesday morning in Manila Time) here at the Sands Regency Hotel.

“Kumpiyansa tayo na magbibigay ng magandang laban ang mga player natin,” said Bernardino, who thanked Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Butch Ramirez, Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), Raya Sports, Star Billiards Center and the Philippine Billiards Foundation who bankrolled the trip of the Philippine Team.

Spearheaded by reigning national junior champion Jerico Banares and 14-year-old Jonas Magpantay, the Filipinos are hoping to improve the quarterfinal finish in the 33 player’s field of the boy’s 19 and under during the Sydney edition two-years ago courtesy of Rene Mar David.

Banares, who is best to remember by beating former world champion Thorsten Hohmann of Germany twice this year, both in tournament setting, will face unheralded Roman Pruchai of Russia in the opening round.

“Gagawin ko makakaya ko po,” said Banares, who make it to the last 16 in the inauguration of this year’s World Ten Ball Championships in the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

If the 19-year-old from Antipolo City luckily beat his first round assignment, then he will meet the winner of the match between Aloysius Yapp of Singapore and Nick Para of New Zealand.

Jojo Lirio, a freelance sports photographer for US based magazine commented “I see (Zemonette) Oryan and Magpantay (Jonas) to be a dark horse because it is their first time to play in the World Championships unlike Banares (Jerico) who beat Hohmann (Thorsten) twice including the recently concluded World Ten-Ball Championships.

Another Filipino entry 14-year-old Jonas Magpantay, a grade six pupil of Pedro Tuazon Elementary School in Cubao, earned a slot in the team after winning three local tournaments recently, takes on host bet Austin Murphy.

Defending champion Ko Pin-yi of Chinese-Taipei open his retention title bid against Marc Bucais of Canada.

Meanwhile, reigning National Women’s Open champion Zemonette Oryan, who hails from Saraga, Iloilo is also expected to do well in the 16 player’s field of the girls’ division of the event. Oryan, 19, is the first Filipina to play in the competition, will square off with Michelle Yap of Singapore. Fil-American Mary Rakin ruled the event twice while representing the United States.