Carlo Biado upsets Bata Reyes in 9-ball tourney

Unheralded Carlo Biado scored his biggest win on Monday with a 9-5 victory over pool icon Efren "Bata" Reyes at the start of the San Miguel Beer-Quezon City 9-Ball Championship at Paeng's Skybowl Bowling and Billiards Center in Robinson's Galleria in Quezon City. The victory was the biggest upset at the start of the three-day tournament. The 24-year-old mainstay cue artist started strong before holding off Reyes who tried to make a comeback, according to a press statement released by organizers on Monday. "Hindi ko pa tinatalo si Efren sa tournament, kaya nung s'ya ang nabunot ko, inisip ko malamang talo," Biado said. "Pero hindi ako pinanghinaan ng loob, kaya nung magmintis s'ya sa first rack, sinamantala ko agad 'yung pagkakataon at mabuti naman naka-anim na sunod agad ako, at hindi na ako bumitaw." Biado, the pride of Rosario, La Union, made his best finish in nine years of playing pool as a third-placer in the 2006 Korean Open. "Sana magtuloy-tuloy na ito para naman magkaroon na ako ng titulo," added Biado, who will be facing another titan in local billiards – former World Pool champion Ronnie Alcano. The match was scheduled late Monday at the Trinoma Mall in North Edsa, where the opening ceremonies with Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. as guest of honor was also slated. Alcano had a very easy 9-1 win over William Chua, a qualifier from Cebu, to lead the first round winners. Except for Reyes, the rest of the seeded players defeated their qualifier opponents to advance into the winners' bracket. The results of other matches:

• Former world titlist Alex Pagulayan vs Elmer Haya, 9-6
• Current world no. 1 Dennis Orcollo vs Leonardo Didal, 9-5
• Francisco "Django" Bustamante vs William Millares, 9-6
• Reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza vs Roel Esquillo, 9-4
• Former Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle vs Romar Villones, 9-6
• Joven Bustamante vs Antonio Delfin, 9-1
• Rodolfo Luat vs Aram Serquiano, 9-5
• Warren Kiamco vs Ricky Zerna, 9-5
• Dondon Razalan vs Godofredo Ducanes, 9-8

Top lady player Rubilen Amit, another seeded player, wowed the crowd by scoring eight consecutive racks to bounce back from a four-point deficit and emerge a 9-5 winner over rising star Jharome Peña. Other matches saw Russina Petiza and Benjie Guevarra winning against Egie Geronimo (9-5) and Johann "Bubwit" Chua (9-4). - GMANews.TV