THE Last Shot Hobbies Sharks and the Last Shot Hobbies Chokie Chokie won several trophies in the recently concluded 2024 SBA Budweiser Open 8-Ball season for claiming the Tuesday and Thursday division titles. On Sunday, their players were honored during an awards banquet at the Aqua Resort Club.
In the Tuesday division, Frankie Blas of the Hobbies Sharks claimed the MVP Finals award while teammate Marc Brian Nelvis received the MVP Elimination Round and Run the Rack awards. Another teammate, Rolly Villanueva, was named the Top Gun awardee.
Joining the podium were Last Shot Fighters’ Charis Conlu as the Rookie of the Year.
In the Thursday division, the Last Shot Hobbies Chokie Chokie’s Rolly Villanueva claimed the MVP Finals award while Drake Taitano was named the Elimination Round MVP. Francis Jay R Yec Yec, for his part, won the Rookie of the Year Award.
The Run the Rack Award was shared by Marc Nelvis, PJ Ramos, and Rey Hermogenes while the Top Gun award was claimed by the Last Shot Raiders 2’s Heromogenes.
The Last Shot Hobbies Sharks are Rolly Villanueva, Marc Brian Nelvis, Drake Taitano, Rey Pinangay, Frankie Blas, Minerva Nelvis, Nolan Cultura, and Francis Yec Yec.
The Last Shot Hobbies Chokie Chokie consists of Drake Taitano, Minerva Nelvis, Marc Brian Nelvis, Gerald Cubal, PJ Ramos, Rolly Villanueva, Francis Jay R Yec Yec, and Beejay Deniega.
The Tuesday Sportsmanship Award went to Black 8 Crooked Arrow while the Thursday Sportsmanship Award went to Black 8 Crooked Arrow 2.
This season, the Saipan Billiards Association saw a 70% increase in participants, according to League Secretary Ivan Sales. He also shared that they have successfully completed their first billiards summer camp with nine youth participants completing the program.
The volunteer instructors were Mei Rengiil, Jerry Soriano, and Marvin Espinosa.
Thrilled
Sales said SBA “is thrilled to express its heartfelt thanks to Pacific Amusement, especially to our general manager and boss, James Gebhard, and President Madam Jum, for their unwavering support. Your commitment has been instrumental to our success!”
Sales said they are also grateful “to the Saipan Billiards Association staff, the backbone of our league, who work tirelessly behind the scenes. A special thanks to our major sponsor, Marpac (Budweiser, Evan Williams Bourbon) for being the official beer and spirits provider and our primary sponsor. We also appreciate our secondary sponsor, Black 8 Pool Bar as well as the generous donations from Hobbies, Last Shot, and Black 8 Pool Bar. A heartfelt thank you to SCS and Ideal Signs for their generous donations of flat-screen TVs for our raffle.”
“To our dedicated team captains who have led and supported their teams in the 2024 league: Rolly Villanueva, Rey Hermogenes, John Reyes, Rowel Mariano, Ken Chen, Joel Buniag, Travis Jones, Lance Deleon Guerrero, Randy Sablan, Jack Unsa, Drake Taitano, and Maverick Espinosa — thank you for your leadership!” he added.
Sales said the following teams competed in the 2024 SBA open 8 ball League:
Tuesday Division
Last Shot Hobbies Shark
Last Shot Raiders
Black 8 Rack and Roll
Black 8 Ideal Signs
Black 8 Crooked Arrow
Last Shot 8 Ball Shooters
Last Shot Fighters
Thursday Division
Black 8 SCS Team
Last Shot Team
Black 8 Shake and Break
Marvs Eleven Tigers
Marvz 8 Ball Strickers
Last Shot Hobbies Chokie Chokie
Black 8 Crooked Arrow 2
Last Shot Raiders 2
“Playing 8-ball is a rising sport on the island, dedicated to all, especially the youth,” Sales said. “We invite new faces to join our league and be part of this exciting community. Together, let’s make the upcoming new season memorable!”
The Last Shot Hobbies Sharks pose with the Thursday division 1st place trophies during the awards banquet of the 2024 SBA Budweiser Open 8-Ball League at the Aqua Resort Club on Sunday.
The Last Shot Hobbies Chokie Chokie team members pose with the Tuesday division 1st place trophies during the awards banquet of the 2024 SBA Budweiser Open 8-Ball League at the Aqua Resort Club on Sunday.
SBA staff
SBA staff
