UST off to fiery start in collegiate billiards

MANILA, Philippines - The UST senior billiards team came away with victories in various divisions to kick off its campaign in the second season of the National Collegiate Billiards League at the Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, QC last Sunday.

Bannered by Rodlin John Bautista and Cedric Gonzales, UST beat Pasig Catholic College, 7-1, both in the 9-ball and 10-ball events, then pulled off a 5-2 win in the 10-ball doubles to cap its romp.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, Bugsy Promotions chief Perry Mariano and NCBL representative Nito Siasat graced the opening rites of the event, also known as the B-League, hosted by billiards patron Sebastian Chua.

Also posting shutout wins were FEU and Adamson, which clobbered Centro Escolar University (7-5 in 9-ball, 7-2 in 10-ball and 5-1 in 10-ball doubles) and STI College (7-4 in 9-ball, 7-2 in 10-ball and 5-1 in 10-ball doubles), respectively.

The event is backed by PCSO through chairman Margie Juico and general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, BRKHRD Corp., Sorsogon Province sports patron Philip Escudero of Malungai Life Oil, Star Billiards Center, Brunswick, Hermes Sports Bar, I-Bar, Golden Leaf Restaurant, Mandarin Sky Sea Food Restaurant, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), The Philippine STAR, Bugsy Promotions and Crown Sound System Sakura Amplifiers and Home Theater Systems.

Biondi Ti, meanwhile, led Ateneo’s 2-1 victory over San Beda College while Geona Gregorio powered Letran College to a 2-1 triumph over Fatima University.

In other matches, Trinity University of Asia edged University of Makati, 2-1; San Sebastian College nipped University of the East, 2-1; and AMA Computer University held off Arellano U, 2-1.