MANILA, Philippines — With all the frills, chills and thrills, Chezka Centeno and Rubilen Amit engaged in an all-Filipina gold-medal duel in women’s 9-ball singles in 2017, with the former winning a hill-hill battle, 9-8.
It’s a reprise of their title match in the previous edition of the SEA Games in Singapore in 2015. And expectations are high Centeno and Amit would continue their running rivalry, setting another you-or-me title confrontation to highlight an expected gold rush by the home bets in the SEAG billiards competitions set Dec. 3-10 at the Manila Hotel Tent.
Whether it’s Centeno or Amit, the goal for Team Phl is a seventh gold in women’s 9-ball singles in eight stagings of this particular billiards event.
And it would very well underscore the prowess and dominance of the Filipino cue masters in SEAG pool competitions.
The Philippines has won 24 golds and a total of 56 medals since the sport was first held in the biennial meet in 1991. Thailand is second with 16 golds and a total of 43, with the Thai bets striking heavily in events not played regularly by the Filipino players English, Snooker and Cushion Carom.
The Filipinos, however, are almost unbeatable in 8-ball and 9-ball.
Amit, a two-time WPA World 10-Ball Championship winner, had her streak of three straight SEAG 9-ball championships starting in the 2005 Manila Games before settling for four consecutive runner-up finishes from 2011-1017.
Another Filipina, Iris Ranola, ended Amit’s reign in 2011 before Centeno took her turn to rise to the top in 2015 and 2017.
Team Phl is unleashing these three champs along with Andal Floriza for a possible three-gold sweep in women’s billiards – 9-ball singles, 9-ball doubles and 10-ball singles.
Then there’s the equally formidable men’s team bannered by bemedalled pool masters in Dennis Orcollo, Warren Kiamco and Carlo Biado.
Add the legendary Efren “Bata” Reyes, who could provide inspiration as Team Phl coach and participant in 1-Cushion Carom.
Another Phl pool legend helping out as coach is Francisco “Django” Bustamante.
Under their care is a solid cast that includes Alvin Barbero, Francisco dela Cruz, Benjamin Guevarra Jr., Jeffrey Ignacio, Johann Chua, Luis Saberdo, Jefrey Roda, Michael Angelo Mengorio, Basil Hasan Al Bashar.