WITH 56 wins, the VFW IT&E Destroyers have taken the lead in the Tuesday Division of the Saipan Billiards Association Budweiser Open 8-ball League. On Tuesday last week, the Destroyers dismantled the 9-Eleven B.E. Skeptron, 10-3, at 9-Eleven Restobar.
The Destroyers established control early with Roman Rodriguez and Rolly Villanueva winning the opening Singles 8-Ball match.
The Skeptron’s Jeof Lagmay tried to stop the bleeding with a solo win in the third game, but Villanueva and Rodriguez bagged the Partners 8-Ball match while team mates RJ Mascarinas and Jeff Garcia, along with Villanueva, kept the momentum burning with a clean sweep in the second Singles 8-Ball match for a comfortable 6-1 lead.
The Skeptron used teamwork to break the streak with Jess Farinas and Aaron Buensalida working well to notch the second Partners 8-Ball match.
But the Destroyers regained momentum with a 3-0 run in the individual scene while Rodriguez and Villanueva remained unbeatable as a pair, adding another win for their team in the third Partners 8-Ball match for a 10-2 advantage.
Although the Skeptron could not avoid defeat, Dante Pumihik and Buensalida gave it their all in the final Partners 8-Ball match before bowing down to the Destroyers, 3-10.
Rebels vs Kabalen
The 9 Eleven Rebels joined the winner’s circle when they they took down the Bamboo NSA Kabalen, 8-5.
It was a fairly even match at first as neither team could get a proper hold of the lead. The Rebels were the first to gain control as Eric Baugh and Mervin Sahagun won two out of the three games in the Singles 8-Ball match. Kabalen’s Aljay Malang denied the sweep with a solo win. He then joined team mate Jerry Soriano in the next Partners 8-Ball match to even the score, 2-2.
Fortunately for the Rebels, they thrived in one-on-one battles, scoring 2-1 before claiming a 3-win sweep in the Singles 8-Ball matches. The Rebels’ Baugh and Sahagun then triumphed in the Partners 8-Ball match to widen their team’s lead, 8-3.
Kabalen continued to put up a fight and snagged the remining two Partners 8-Ball matches to ease the pain of losing, 5-8.
The Rebels are now in third place with 46 wins. In second place are the Ideal Signs JC Rustlers with 55 wins.
Dead Eye’s vs Crazy Shooters
The Last Shot Dead Eye’s were the third team to taste victory on Tuesday last week, slipping past the VFW Crazy Shooters, 7-6.
The Dead Eye’s started strong with a 2-1 run in the first two Singles 8-Ball matches and in the Partners 8-Ball matches for a 6-2 spread.
However, the Crazy Shooters suddenly found their rhythm and attempted a late-game comeback. During the third and final Singles 8-Ball match, Crazy Shooters DJ Mansilungan and Joel Bunag bagged two wins but the Dead Eye’s Oliver Gragasin prevented a sweep.
The Crazy Shooters won the last two Partners 8-Ball matches, but they were still one match short of victory as the Dead Eye’s brought home the proverbial bacon, 7-6.
Rolly Villanueva of the VFW IT&E Destroyers lines up for the break in a Tuesday Division game of the SBA Budweiser Open 8-Ball at 9-Eleven Restobar.
