Gabica falls short in title bid, ends Cinderella run with silver medal in World 9-Ball Championship

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano cue master Antonio "Gaga" Gabica's fairytale run came to disappointing end after he fumbled at the hands of Germany's Thorstenn Hohmann, 13-7, in the finals of the 2013 World 9-Ball Championship at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.

A crucial mistake in the 11th rack proved too fatal for the Lapu-Lapu City native Gabica as it cost him what could have been the biggest win of his career and the whopping $36,000 prize tag that goes along with it.

After winning the lag, the 41-year-old Gabica raced to a sizzling 3-1 start, but Hohmann took advantage of two illegal breaks and a bad jump shot by the Qatar-based Pinoy shotmaker to take the lead for the first time, 4-3.

Gabica, however, retaliated with three racks of  his  down for 6-4 advantage. Just when the predominantly Filipino crowd thought their fellow countryman was headed for a smooth-sailing victory, disaster suddenly struck Gabica in the 11th frame.

In that fateful sequence, according to Philippine-based American journlist Ted Lerner posted on www.wpa-pool.com, Gabica had a wide open table and was down on an easy straight in five-ball.

"Inexplicably, though, the five-ball bobbled in the jaws of the pocket. Gabica, and the crowd, couldn’t believe it, and the Filipino walked back to his chair visibly upset as Hohmann stood up and cleared. Instead of a commanding 7-4 lead, Gabica only led 6-5,' said Lerner.

Things did not go Gabica's way from there onwards as in the next rack, he scratched the ball off a crafty safety shot by the German star. Hohmann then cleaned up the table to tie the score at 6-all. Gabica later committed an illegal break and then scratch again in the 15th rack, enabling Hohmann to enjoy an 8-6 edge in just a spur of the moment.

Another mistake by Gabica on a clear 2-ball shot saw Hohmann stretching his lead to 9-6. "As Hohmann broke and ran the next frame, his demeanor, his potting, his eyes, all indicated he was squarely in the zone and there would be no stopping him," said Lerner in the same internet report.

Hohmann further capitalized of Gabica's string of errors to post an commanding 12-6 lead. The German allowed Gabica to steal one rack from there as he went on for the kill in the 20th frame.

"As the final 9-ball dropped, Hohmann raised his cue high over his head with both hands, giving it a big fat kiss. He then let out a fist pump and a roar, and flexed his muscle for the crowd,' Lerner recounted.

“I’m really proud of myself,” Hohmann said. “It means a lot to me. If I had to choose between my first World 9-ball and here, I couldn’t make that decision because winning the first world championship back in Cardiff was incredible and to do it again ten years later, I’m just speechless."

Gabica, for his part, was visibly upset about that botched 5-ball shot the spelled his doom. “I didn’t feel the pressure on that shot,” Gabica said. “I was just careless. I’ve played 30 years and I have many experiences.  I got upset because I was ready to go 7-4 up. That’s a big big mistake. I think at that moment I had too much confidence.   Maybe this is a learning experience for me. I’ll be thinking about that 5-ball for one week.”

Despite letting the golden opportunity slip through his hands, the Qatar-based Gabica was still proud and happy for making it to the final round.

“I’m very lucky to make it to the final. Because you don’t know what can happen in the future. It’s not easy to get to the final, because there are too many good players.  I’m very lucky.  Maybe next year I don’t know where I’m going to finish. This was my one chance," he said.

Gabica went home with $18,000, while Hohmann pocketed a $36,000 paycheck aside from becoming only the second man to win the world 9-ball championship two times afterAmerican Earl "The Pearl' Strickland, who won the world's most prestigious billiards tournament in 1991 and 2002. (FREEMAN)