Breaks, roll didn’t go our way — Bata

HO CHI MINH (Via Globe Telecom)–In swift turn of events that shocked the Philippine camp, the billiards team saw its two shining stars fall in their bread-and-butter event yesterday.

Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante took unceremonial exits in the 9-ball singles where they’re fancied to figure in the gold-medal fight.

Instead, Bustamante was out right after his first game in the quarterfinals and Reyes followed suit in the semis.

They rued unlucky breaks and poor roll that had caused their downfall.

"Talagang hindi kami binigyan ng magandang gulong," said Reyes, a former World Pool champion who could only settle for a bronze medal here with a victory over Indonesia’s Nurdin in the medal games set late last night.

Reyes was eased out of the gold match by Indonesia’s Muhamad Junarto in an 11-9 upset in their semis showdown.

Bustamante, runner-up to Earl Strickland in the 2002 World Pool championship in Cardiff, Wales, failed to even make it past the quarterfinals with a 7-11 defeat at the hands of hometown bet Nguyen Thahn Nam.

"Hindi ako mabigyan ng magandang tira," said Bustamante.

The Philippines, thus, missed the expected three-gold sweep in billiards events with Reyes and Bustamante unable to duplicate Lee Van Corteza’s feat in 8-ball singles and the Corteza-Warren Kiamco’s triumph in the 9-ball doubles.

"Nangyayari talaga yan. Hindi naman lahat pwede mong panalunan," said Reyes.