World jr pool: Magpantay keys RP perfect start

Jonas Magpantay humbled US junior champion Austin Murphy, 9-8, in a big start by the Philippines in the World Junior Pool Championship at the Sands Regency Hotel in Reno, Nevada Monday.

Magpantay, the least fancied player in the RP contingent, pounced on Murphy’s miscue with three balls left in a hill-hill duel, snatching the victory for the Oriental Mindoro native.

Reigning national junior champion Jerico Banares, meanwhile, held off Russian Roman Pruchai, 9-7.

With no clear pocket waiting the brown seven on the 16th, Banares opted to play it safe with Pruchai failing to come up with a counter-safety to yield the match to the Filipino champion.

Banares actually jumped the gun on his rival, racing to a 5-2 lead. But Pruchai refused to give up and bounced back, eventually grabbing the lead at 7-6.

Banares battles Nick Pera of New Zealand in the next game with the Kiwi bet beating Alyysius Yapp of Singapore, 9-6.

Zemonette Oryan made it 3-0 for Team Philippines, downing Michelle Yap of Singapore, 7-3, and arranging a second round clash with Sabrina Naverschnig of Austria, who won over Konischi Samia of Japan, 7-4.