THE 9 ELEVEN Rebels are in the driver’s seat in the Tuesday Division of the Saipan Billiards Association Budweiser Open 8-Ball League after defeating the Last Shot Cholos 10-3 on Tuesday, May 17, at 9 Eleven Restobar.
The Rebels had to get their feet wet before finding their stroke as it was the Cholos’ Ed Arriola who drew first blood in the opening match of a Singles 8-Ball game against Mervin Sahagun.
The spotlight was quickly taken away from the Cholos, however, as the Rebels’ Eric Baugh and Rey Hermogenes triumphed in the remaining two matches to snatch the lead, 2-1.
The gap continued to grow as Joe Palacios and Phil Kalen teamed up to claim the single-match Partners 8-Ball game while Ray “Stingray” Matsunaga collected the Rebels’ fourth win by defeating Kalle Igisomar.
Igisomar managed to break the Rebels’ streak with a solo win in the second Singles 8-Ball game, but the Rebels reasserted their domination with another four-win streak for an 8-2 lead.
The Cholos snagged one more win before going down as the Rebels claimed the remaining two rounds to seal victory, 10-3.
Winners, too
Joining the winner’s circle were the Bamboo NSA Kabalen who edged the VFW Crazy Shooters, 7-6.
It was a seesaw battle with the Crazy Shooters first taking control following a 2-1 run in the opening Singles 8-Ball game, thanks to Jack Thomsaket and Jack Unsa.
But Kabalen evened the odds with Lito Pangilinan and Jess Guerra claiming the next Partners 8-Ball match.
The Crazy Shooters then equalized with another 2-1 run in the individual matchup, and tried to solidify their lead as they snatched the second Partners 8-Ball match.
However, Kabalen’s Jerry Soriano, Guerra and Pangilinan pulled a 3-win sweep in the one-on-one scene while Guerra and Soriano worked together to notch the game-winning Partners 8-Ball match for a 7-6 victory.
The Bamboo NSA Kabalen and the VFW Crazy Shooters pose for a photo after their match on Tuesday, May 17, at the New Bamboo Bar of Saipan Vegas.
