By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE race for the top spot in the Hibiscus Division of the 2026 SBA Budweiser Open 8-Ball League intensified Tuesday night as frontrunners Black8 Ideal Signs Rustlers and Last Shot Hobbies Sharks posted commanding victories.
Black8 Ideal Signs Rustlers showed why they sit atop the division with a dominant 10-3 victory over Black8 Crooked Arrow 1 at Black8 Pool Bar.
The Rustlers set the tone early. Chester Hamoy, Rey Torres, Robert Sanciangco, and Roman Rodriguez swept their opening singles matches to give their team a commanding 4-1 lead.
Crooked Arrow attempted to rally in the first Partners 8-Ball set as Rey Hermogenes and Rickson “En En” Sajul secured a victory in the second game. However, Albert Pangilinan and Torres claimed the opening game of the set to keep the Rustlers firmly in control, 5-1.
Crooked Arrow found a brief spark when Sajul won the opening match of the second singles round, but the Rustlers’ depth proved too much. Rowel “Cobra” Mariano, Hamoy, and Rodriguez captured the remaining singles matches before the Rustlers completed a sweep of the second Partners 8-Ball set to build an insurmountable 10-2 advantage.
Crooked Arrow avoided a complete sweep when Ken Chen and Jess Guerra won the third and final Partners 8-Ball match, trimming the final margin to 10-3.
Meanwhile, Last Shot Hobbies Sharks reinforced their grip on second place with a convincing 11-2 victory over VFW Noypi 2.0.
The Sharks came out red-hot, sweeping the opening singles block behind wins from Frankie Blas, PJ Ramos, Brian “Kai” Neil Bernabe, and Nolan Cultura.
VFW Noypi 2.0 found a spark in the first Partners 8-Ball set when Jerry Pelayo and Mark Ignacio defeated Sharks pair Rolly Villanueva and Drake Taitano. However, Blas and Ramos responded by winning the remaining match of the set, allowing the Sharks to maintain a comfortable 5-1 lead.
Outside of those minor setbacks, it was all Sharks the rest of the way. Cultura, Blas, Ramos, and Taitano completed another clean sweep in the second singles block before late doubles victories by Blas and Bernabe, as well as Villanueva and Taitano, sealed the 11-2 rout.
With the wins, both the Rustlers and Sharks strengthened their positions atop the Hibiscus Division standings as the race for league supremacy continues.
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.
