Fallen Taiwanese seek redemption in Asian 9-ball final

They form one of the most formidable trios in any 9-ball tournament. But except for their domination of the Hong Kong leg of the ongoing San Miguel Asian 9-ball Tour, nothing has been heard of Taiwan’s Chao Fong Pang, Yang Ching Shun and Hsia Hui Kai.

In fact, they were rudely silenced right on their turf in Taiwan three weeks ago when the fancied troika failed to even make it past the second round of action in the penultimate leg of the five-nation $250,000 tour sponsored by San Miguel Beer.

Actually, Chao, a two-time world 9-ball champion, was unceremoniously booted out by an unheralded Vietnamese — Vu Trong Khai – right in the first round to the chagrin of the home fans who anticipated a romp by the dean of Taiwanese pros.

However, Chao, Yang and Hsia’s misfortunes at home could be attributed to the proverbial "breaks of the game" with all of them absorbing numbing 8-9 setbacks although observers noted that those losses only showed that they aren’t as invincible as they appeared to be when Yang beat Hsia in all-Taiwanese final in Hong Kong.

But this weekend, Taiwan’s finest cue masters will trade chopsticks for cue sticks with a singular mission at hand — redeem themselves from that hometown fiasco – when the tour winds up its five-leg series at the Octagon Hall of the Robinson’s Galleria.

Sure, Yang would relish the prospect of facing the most feared player in the fold – Efren "Bata" Reyes — and prove that his semifinal victory over the former world champion in Hong Kong was not a work of a chance but a skill he polished to perfection.

Yang, whose lean frame belies his power off the break and steadfastness under tight situations, broke the hearts of many OFWs in the former British colony when he spoiled Reyes’ bid for a third straight leg title after the Hall of Famer swept the first two stages in Singapore and Vietnam.

That could further motivate the 26-year-old Kaoshiung native, a gold medalist in the Busan Asian Games and ranked No. 4 in the current Order of Merit rankings of the current Asian 9-ball Tour, in his attempt to destroy Reyes’ myth before local fans.

Hsia, on the other hand, is out to prove his worth and will be coming into the event all-fired up to score a breakthrough victory on the circuit organized by ESPN STAR Sports Management Group. The 29-year-old Hsia, who reached the No. 4 rank in the world in 2001, is in ninth place in the Tour rankings and will be hardpressed to come up with a solid finish here to ensure his stint in the World Pool Championship in July.

The event, set May 29-30, serves as the only ranking event in Asia where the top 10 players after five legs will gain automatic berths in this year’s world championship slated in Taiwan.

Despite his setback to Reyes in the final of the Vietnam leg and his Taiwan debacle, the 37-year-old Chao remains a force to reckon with in the event laden with pool talents and is likely to be among the crowd drawers with his world-class skills and pocketing.

That should give Reyes and company the cue to work harder and keep the 9-ball crown at home. — Dante Navarro