RP pool masters rule World 9-Ball Challenge

Team Philippines, bannered by Ronato Alcano and Marlon Manalo, claimed the Kabayan San Miguel Beer (SMB) World 9-Ball Challenge: RP versus Rest of the World title at the Filipiniana Hotel on Tuesday in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.

Alcano, the 2006 World Pool Champion titlist, and Manalo got strong support from teammates Gandy Valle, Jeffrey de Luna, and Antonio Gabica to score a 31-19 against the Rest of The World.

The victory was worth $20,000, according to a statement issued by organizers on Tuesday. The World Team – composed of Rodney Morris of the United States, Marcus Chamat of Sweden, Karl Boyes, Darren Appleton, and Scott Higgins of England – received $10,000.

The World Team started slow on Monday and was down, 1-5, in the morning sessions but gained a 19-17 advantage after the evening games.

On Tuesday, the RP team played strongly, with Valle, the 1998 Asian Games gold medalist, and Manalo, the 2005 World Pool Championships third placer, posting victories against Chamat and Higgins, respectively.

Valle, who hails from Davao City, trounced Chamat, 7-3, while Manalo crushed Higgins, 8-2.

"Sinigurado kong maganda ang start ko kasi pressured na ang mga kalaban," Valle said after his match.

Alcano made sure that the Philippines will win explosively when he dominated Boyes, 9-1, in the last match.

"Buti na lamang nakabawi kami sa Day Two. Krusiyal 'yung panalo nina Gandy (Valle) at Marlon (Manalo) kaya wala ng pressure sa laro ko," Alcano said.

Marlon Manalo

Personal Background

• Name: Marlon Manalo
• Known as: "Marvelous"
• Sex: Male
• Age: na
• Date of Birth: na
• Place of Birth: Mandaluyong City, Philippines
• Country: Philippines
• Nationality: Filipino
• Hobbies: Playing pool
• Spouse: na
• Sports: Billiard

Achievements:

• 2007 Seminole Florida Pro Tour Stop
• 2006 IPT North American Open 8-Ball Championship, Runner-up
• 2005 Texas Hold Em Billiards Championship
• 2005 NJ 14.1 Championship
• 2005 Hard Times 9-ball Winner
• 2005 Reno Open Champion
• 2005 WPC Second Runner-up
• 2004 Asian Games, Silver Medal Winner
• 2004 WPC, 5th Place
• 2004 World 8-Ball Championships, Runner-up
• 2004 World Pool Masters, 9th Place
• 2003 Corporate Billiards League
• 2003 WPC, 17th Place
• 2002 IBC Tokyo 9-Ball International, 5th Place
• 2001 World Games, Silver Medal Winner
• 2000 Asian Snooker, Champion

Trivia:

• The surname Manalo is Tagalog, meaning "to win."
• Not many pool players from the Philippines have graduated from college (some have not even completed high school). Manalo, however, has a degree in economics.

Marlon Manalo Beats Jeff De Luna in Pool Showdown

IPT North American Eight-ball Open Championship 1st runner-up Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo dethroned two-time king-of-the-table Jeffrey "The Bull" De Luna 11-5 in Pool Showdowns Match of the week Saturday night at Rizal Memorial Billiards Zone.

Manalo who chose 9-ball as the game to be played posted seven racks win after winning the lag in their race-to-11 winner's break format. In the eighth rack, the 23-yrs old De Luna finally got to the table to get his first win 1-7 after Manalo committed a foul.

Another foul shot for Manalo in the 9th frame prompted De Luna the two-time "Hari ng Mesa" champion to post his second win. However, De Luna's power breaks did not help in his attempt to retain his title as he continued to have bad luck with the cue ball.

Manalo resumed his winning streak with two game wins in three racks (10-3) and only needed one win to wrap up the match. But with three balls remaining on the table, Manalo sank the green ball and accidentally left himself hooked on the edge of the pocket. Manalo was that forced to kick at the next ball.

De Luna did not waste his opportunity to get back into the game as he snatched two racks to cut down the lead to 5-10 but the breaks still did not favor him and Manalo was able to bring home the final game. Manalo won $1,000.00 as the new king-of-the-table.

The 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball silver medallist De Luna was crowned as the first Pool Showdown "Hari ng Mesa" when he trounced Ricky Zerna (11-4) and defended his title against Panfilo Damuag Jr. (11-7)

Pool Showdown is a joint production of Raya Sports and ABC-5. It is broadcast every Tuesday and Saturday at 8:00 to 10-30 in the evening.

Manalo edges Kennedy for Florida Pro Tour Win

An all-star field of 78 players made their way to Capones Billiards in Spring Hill, Florida this weekend. It was hard to pick a favorite with such heavyweights as Alex Pagulayan, Marlon Manalo, Corey Deuel, Buddy Hall, Warren Kiamco, Dennis Hatch, Ronnie Wiseman, Tommy Kennedy and Lee Van Corteza all in attendance.

A large number of the top players at this event were Filipino, but surprisingly at the end of Saturday play there were only two Filipino players left on the winners side.

When the event got down to six players on Sunday, it was two Americans (Tommy Kennedy and Stevie Moore) still on the winners side and four Filipinos on the one loss side.

Tommy Kennedy took the hot-seat with an 8-5 win over Moore and Moore was sent to the left side of the board.

Manalo had lost a hill-hill match to Moore on the winners side, but he scored back to back 8-3 wins over countrymen Dennis Orcollo and Warren Kiamco to earn a rematch with Moore in the semi-finals. That match went to Manalo by a lopsided 8-2 score.

Manalo looked to have all of the momentum going into the extended race to 9 final match with Kennedy, but it was Kennedy to raced out to a 6-1 lead. Neither player was able to do much of anything with the break, but Manalo won the next four games to get back to 6-5 before Kennedy could win another game. The players then traded the next two games to put Kennedy on the hill and 8-6.

Kennedy would not be able to complete the deal though, as Manalo won the next three games to score the 9-8 match win for first place.

Manalo earned $3500 for first, while Kennedy took home $2000 for second. Moore and Kiamco filled out the top four spots.

Marlon Manalo wins Florida Pro Tour Stop

Marlon Manalo bounced back from the one loss side to win the Seminole Florida Pro Tour Stop at Strokers Billiards in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Manalo was undefeated on Saturday, but came out on the wrong side of a hill-hill match with Danny Harriman on Sunday. Harriman went on to lose an 8-4 decision to Tony Chohan for the hot-seat.

On the one loss side, Manalo started with an 8-6 win over Ignacio Chavez and went on to face hot-shooting Nathan Rose. Rose had impressive wins over Tommy Kennedy, Robb Saez, Corey Deuel and David Grossman, but came up short against Manalo 8-5.

From there, Manalo went on to avenge his loss to Danny Harriman 8-7 and then steamroll Chohan 9-3 in the finals.

Manalo earned $3500 for first place, while Chohan pocketed $2000 in second place prize money.