The 2014 Manny Pacquiao Cup Ten Ball Doubles Championships has come to a close. The crowd was treated to three days of top flight stellar billiards with fifty two teams including a real mix of International flavor with four teams representing Taiwan led by Ko Pin Yi and his Brother Ko Pin Chung, Max Eberle from the USA partnering up with a local player, Ga Young Kim and her partner Wong from South Korea as well as Thorsten Hohmann from Germany teaming up with Canadian John Morra .
As for the entries representing the Philippines, you had the likes of Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante, Carlo Biado and Dennis Orcullo , Lee Vann Corteza and Jundel Mazon, and Jeffrey De Luna and Jeffrey Ignacio. Perhaps one of the most interesting pairing was Congressman Manny Paquiao and Ronnie Alcano.
Day 3 gave us our last eight teams . In order to be crowned champions they had to endure three consecutive pressure packed matches starting at 10 AM in the morning with the finals being played at 6 PM .
Quarter Final match ups and scores:
Thorsten Hohmann - John Morra ( 11 ) Silvano - Esquillo (5)
Ko Pin Yi - Ko Pin Chung ( 11 ) Warren Kiamco - Roberto Gomez ( 4 )
Efren Bata Reyes - Francisco Bustamante ( 11 ) Napoleon Labrador - Lauro Bongay ( 10 )
Jeffrey De Luna - Jeffrey Ignacio ( 11 ) Antonio Lining - Ramil Gallego ( 10 )
The tantalizing Semi Finals slated for 2 PM brought about match ups that were a pool fans dream , Thorsten and John Morra came back from 4 -2 down to beat Ko Pin Yi and his brother Ko Pin Chung by a score of 11 - 9.
With John and Thorsten waiting in the finals the crowd was abuzz as the legendary Efren Bata Reyes and Francisco Bustamante entered the SM Mall Gensen to take on first time partners 2014 China Open Singles Runner Up Jeffrey Ignacio and the player widely accepted as having the hardest break in the game, Jeffrey "The Bull " De Luna . The crowd favourite legends led 6 - 4 only to succumb to the young upstarts by a final score of 11 - 8.
In the finals the partisan crowd were not disappointed as the Pinoys raced out to a 3 - 0 lead, only to find the 2013 World 9 Ball Champion Thorsten Hohmann and Canada's number one player John Morra close to within one at 4 - 5 . That was as close as they would get as the Jeff and Jeff show brought down the house winning six of the last eight games for a convincing 11 - 6 triumph .
It should be noted that seven players entered in this event are playing in the World Cup Of Pool two weeks from now. Ko Pin Yi and his brother Ko Pin Chung , Thorsten Hohmann for Germany, John Morra and Alex Pagulayan for Canada along with the defending World Cup Of Pool Champions Dennis Orcollo and Lee Vann Corteza.
Congressman Manny Pacquiao has definitely injected life back in to pool in the Philippines. He has stated that he will have a very similar event back in General Santos City in early December. For that, as fans, we are all very grateful.
