MANILA, Philippines - Halfway through the single-round elims of the National Collegiate Billiards League, some of the country’s rising pool players are making their presence felt and spelling the big difference in their respective team’s surge.
They include St. Clare’s Ritchy Gogo, who has stamped his class in 9-ball play, powering the Saints to the top of the 19-team field with 29 points in 12 matches.
“I always dish out my best shot in every match not only for myself but for my school as well,” said Gogo in Filipino.
Considered as one of the players to watch in the B-League backed by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Accel and Negros Billiards Stable, Gogo, 23, racked up 11 straight points before bowing to Andrei Ruiz of Far Eastern University, 4-7, last Dec. 19.
Ruiz, on the other hand, stretched his win run to 11 matches while powering the Tamaraws to solo second with 28 points in the tournament backed by H2O Hotel, Manila Ocean Park, Malungai Life Oil, Niknok Pritson Manok, Hermes Sports Bar, Human Plus Probiotics, Star Billiards Center, Brunswick, The Philippine STAR, Bugsy Promotions and Mediacom.
Also sharing the spotlight is Trojan Montes of the Philippine Maritime Institute who steered the Admirals to solo third with 27 points.
Meanwhile, the first-ever school-based billiards tourney, organized by Reli de Leon, Perry Mariano of Bugsy Promotion and Jonathan Sy of Negros Billiards Stable, resumes action this Sunday at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.