Gabica cops Manda 10-ball

Antonio Gabica thwarted hometown hero Marlon Manalo, 13-8, to capture the first $30,000 Mandaluyong Mayor’s Cup 10-ball championship at the City Hall’s Atrium yesterday.

Gabica took the final four racks, the last three in run-out style, as he sustained his hot start to foil Manalo and pocket the $10,000 champion’s prize of the first leg of the fledgling Philippine Pool Tour.

The 35-year-old native of Lapu-Lapu City built leads of 5-1 and 9-5 but had to come up with a strong finishing kick to complete the victory.

Manalo settled for the $4,000 runner-up purse.

Gabica, winner of two Philippine Open titles, struggled with his break, failing to sink any in his first six turns while making a scratch on the seventh.

That enabled Manalo to close in as he pressed to within, 8-9, after winning three straight racks. But a scratch on the break in the 18th rack gave the initiative back to Gabica, who cleaned up the table before running out the next three frames.

Manalo, the 2005 Reno 9-ball Open winner, made it to the championship match by outlasting veteran Leonardo Andam, 11-7, in the first Final Four match yesterday morning.