QUEZON CITY, TAGUIG, NEGROS AT MANILA PINILI NA ANG TOP POOL SHARKS SA SBA DRAFT

MATAPOS ang halos dalawang taon na komprehensibong preparasyon,ang noo’y pangarap lang ay isa nang realidad ngayon.

At ang unang hakbang ay ang  historic event na  drafting ng itinuturing na  cream of the crop pool players ng pioneering  teams .

Ang Quezon City Dragons ay tampok na pinili si Jericho Bañares sa inaugural Sharks Billiards Association (SBA) players’ draft pick na idinaos sa Quantum Skyview ng Gateway Mall 2, Quezon City Linggo ng gabi.

Magiging katumbukan niya sina   Alexis Ferrer, Denmark Castronuevo, John Paul Ladao and John Rebong.

“I felt very honored to be included in the team,” wika ni Bañares, naging runner-up kay Ko Pin-yi ng  Chinese-Taipei noong  2008 World Junior Pool Championshup sa Reno, Nevada.

Na-draft din sa first round sina  Rodrigo Geronimo (Taguig Stallions), Oliver Villafuerte (Negros Pillars) and Baseth Mapandi (Manila MSW Mavericks).

Ang SBA First Conference ay nakatakdang sumargo sa September 12 sa Sharks Billiards Hall sa Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

“The SBA aims to give millions of Filipino billiards enthusiasts the opportunity to hone and showcase their skills, and promote the love of the game — by ensuring integrity and fairness for professional billiards in the Philippines,” wika ni SBA chief executive officer at founder Hadley Mariano.”

“Sa wakas, andito na tayo. Salamat players sa patience. Salamat sa GAB, dahil sa inyo, meron na tayong unang professional billiards league sa bansa”.

Ang iba pang miyembro ng bawat koponan ay sina  Demosthenes Pulpul, Bryant Saguiped, Marc Ejay Cunanan and Michael Quinay (Taguig Stallions); Albert Espinola, Jonald Galve, Jolo Aspuria and Mark Ryan Hidalgo (Negros Pillars); at Jonas Magpantay, John Albert Refulle, Drahcir Mauricio and Tristan Deocareza (Manila MSW Mavericks).

Sina Efren “Bata” Reyes, ang tinaguriang   ‘greatest pool player of all time’, at prominenteng players na sina Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo, Jeffrey “The Bull” De Luna, Antonio “Nikoy” Lining and Warren “Warrior” ay dumalo sa kaganapan.

Espesyal na panauhin sina Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Atty. Francisco Rivera Jr. and sportsman, billiards godfather Ceferino “Perry” Mariano.

“Binabati ko ang organisador ng prestihiyosong kaganapan partikular si SBA top brass Hadley Mariano, pro- pool players, team owners at billiards afficionados sa tagumpay ng ganitong high end event  sa larangan  ng pro -sport.Dahil dito ay lalo pang dadami ang ating mga world class na manlalaro sa propesyunal na hanay,” sambit ni Chairman Rivera na kasamang sumaksi sa kaganapan si GAB Professional Sports and Games Chief Dr. Jesucito Garcia. (CM)