St. Clare firms up lead in NCBL tilt

MANILA, Philippines - With Ritch Gogo showing the way, St. Clare Colleges closed out its first-round campaign on a high note as it posted victories over the weekend to firm up its hold of the lead in the National Collegiate Billiards League at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.

After pairing with Ellezer Castillo in scoring a 5-3 win over Philippine Maritime Institute in 8-ball play, Gogo continued his winning ways by downing Gerthee Estrella of University of Sto. Tomas, 7-1, in their 9-ball battle as the Saints improved their output to 46 points, five ahead of their nearest rivals.

Castillo, whose 14-game winning streak in 10-ball play was halted by Chris Mecenas of PMI in St. Clare’s first match, bounced back with a 7-4 win over Cedric Gonzales in 10-ball and teamed up with Vennis Mariano in overpowering the Estrella-Gonzales pair in 8-ball play in the tourney backed by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Accel and Negros Billiards Stable.

With University of Makati failing to show up for the sixth consecutive week, St. Clare was given another three-point bonus along with 12 other teams scheduled to play the Makati-based squad.

Far Eastern University and National University suffered defeats but remained tied for second with 41 points in the tourney also 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.

After overpowering San Beda via a 3-0 count, FEU folded against PMI 1-2 with Andrei Ruiz absorbing his first loss at the hands of Troy Montes 6-7 in 9-ball play. The Tamaraws, however, got the maximum three points from a no-show La Salle squad.

Reeling from a shocking 1-2 defeat inflicted by University of Manila earlier in the day, the Bulldogs won by forfeiture over Don Bosco-Mandaluyong and then blanked San Beda 3-0.

Running solo fourth with 40 points was PMI which also benefited from UMAK’s no-show while Lyceum stayed within striking distance with 39 markers in the tourney organized by Reli de Leon, Perry Mariano of Bugsy Promotion and Jonathan Sy of Negros Billiards Stable.