Billiards body wants to be NBA of cue sports

MANILA, Philippines — The National Basketball Association of billiards.

That’s how Sharks Billiards Association commissioner Hadley Mariano envisioned his group to be as they will stage another major tournament in the Philippine Open set April 21-27 at the Sharks Arena and Sports Bar along Morato Avenue in Quezon City.

“Our vision is for the SBA to become the NBA of billiards,” said Mariano during their event launch Monday.

Mariano said they have partnered with government owned television PTV 4, which was represented by its OIC general manager Oscar Orbos, as its broadcasting carrier.

The Philippine Open was one among the many events the SBA has organized with more coming in the pipeline.

The weeklong tournament will have at least 128 players, including female participants, with a prize fund of P1 million.

It will be a race-to-7 in the earlier rounds and race-to-13 in the finals, Mariano added.

Games and Amusement Board chair Francisco Rivera recognized the growing interest in the sport, which has already staged 15 just in the first quarter of the year from merely seven in 2019 and 35 last year.

“I give the SBA two thumbs up,” said Rivera.