Gabica, Pagulayan advance the hard way

Fancied Antonio Gabica, top seed Alex Pagulayan and Lee Van Corteza overcame some anxious moments before hurdling their respective unheralded rivals to advance in second Billiards and Snookers Congress of the Philippines National Pool Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium yesterday.

Reigning world 9-ball and 8-ball champion Ronnie Alcano also joined the first day winners, beating Ruel Esquillo, 9-6, claiming the win amid news over television earlier in the day, alleging he sexually molested his 14-year old daughter from his estranged wife. The world champ denied the charge.

Gabica was two balls away from losing but Bacolod City bet Jerry Pelayo cracked under pressure and missed on those, enabling the Asian Games 9-ball gold medalist to snatch a pulsating 9-8 victory.

"I played poorly, I was just lucky," said Gabica in Filipino.

Pagulayan also survived the upset axe as he subdued Rolando dela Cruz, 9-8, to start his title-retention bid later in the night.

Corteza, who won six gold medals in the past Southeast Asian Games campaigns, overcame a 1-5 deficit by changing his tactics from power to soft breaks as he won the last eight racks en route to a 9-5 win.

The rest of the seeded bets – Warren Kiamco, Antonio Lining and Roberto Gomez – made it to the second round without much trouble.

Kiamco drubbed Renemar David, 9-5, Lining smothered Johann Choa, 9-0, while Gomez trounced Dondon Rasalan, 9-4, to advance in this six-day event stakinga top purse of P500,000.

Billiards notes: "I didn’t do it, maybe they’re only doing it for money," said Alcano of the allegations he sexually molested his daughter. The news made the evening televsion newscasts.