By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE Hibiscus Division of the 2026 SBA Budweiser Open 8-Ball League continued to see teams battle for the top spot on Tuesday night, as Last Shot Hobbies Shark and VFW Noypi 2.0 improved their records after recording separate victories over their respective opponents at Saipan Vegas and Black 8 Pool Bar.
Despite sitting at the bottom of the standings, Last Shot Hobbies Shark bounced back with a stunning 8-5 win over No. 2 seed Black 8 Crooked Arrow 1 at the Black 8 Pool Bar.
The match opened with the Singles 8-Ball round, where Crooked Arrow 1’s Boyet Sequioco secured the first win with two balls remaining against Shark’s PJ Ramos. However, Ramos quickly adjusted as Frankie Blas, Drake Taitano, and Brian Bernabajo showcased their individual skills, stringing together three consecutive wins to take a 3-1 lead.
Crooked Arrow 1 responded in the partners frame, as Ken Chen and Joe Deleon Guerrero split the first set, while Deleon Guerrero later paired with Jess Guerra to split the second partners 8-ball set, adding crucial points.
When the singles format resumed, Shark regained control as Ramos, Blas, and Taitano each delivered wins in another 3-1 run to further extend their lead.
Despite the loss, Crooked Arrow 1’s Chen and Sequioco closed out the match on a positive note, winning the final partners game before falling to Shark, 8-5.
Joining the winner’s circle was VFW Noypi 2.0, which defeated Kanto 10 Strikers 9-4 at Saipan Vegas.
Noypi 2.0 came out firing in the opening singles round, with Domino Antonio, Jerry Pelano, and Jerry Cepeda all securing wins, while Strikers’ John Lara earned a lone victory to avoid a sweep, 3-1.
The second wave of singles play followed a similar pattern as Noypi 2.0 maintained control, again posting a 3-1 advantage.
The partners frames were competitive but continued to favor Noypi 2.0. The duo of Pelano and Cepeda handled Franklin Osin and Lance Deleon Guerrero, while Antonio and Cepeda later outplayed Osin and Lara in the next partners match. Pelano and Mark Ignacio sealed the win in the final partners game to secure the 9-4 victory.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
