MAKATI CITY, PHILIPPINES---With First Gentleman Mike Arroyo watching the game, the Philippines ended Thailand's reign in snooker team event Monday of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games at the Makati Coliseum.
Joven Alba keyed the Filipinos victory by beating Nitiwat Kanjanasari in the deciding reverse singles match for a 3-2 victory.
The two teams battled two a 2-all deadlock as Phaithoon Phonbum beat Alex Pagulayan and Alba in the other singles and reverse singles matches.
Pagulayan atoned for his earlier defeat by trouncing Kanjanasari and combining with Leonardo "Dodong Dadiangas" Andam for a critical doubles victory over the Thai pair of Kanjanasari and Kobkit Palajil
Alba, a gold medal winner in snooker in the 1995 Chiang Mai SEA Games, shared his shining moment with his teammates.
"It's a total team effort," said Alba who left his job in Kuwait to play for the Phillipine team.
It was the second gold medal for the vaunted Filipino billiards and snooker team after Ronnie " Calamba" Alcano and Antonio " Ga-Ga" Gabica curved a 1-2 finish for the country in the 15-ball rotation.
The Philippines advanced into the finals after posting a pair of 3-1 victories against Myanmar and Singapore.
Third gold came few hours later after the tandem of Lee Vann Corteza and Gabica ruled 8-ball doubles at the expense of the Vietnamese duo of Nguyen Phuc Long and Nguyen Thanh Nam with a 9-5 victory.
The Filipinos earlier defeated the duo from Malaysia, 9-5, and Brunei, 9-2, while the Vietnamese pair trounced the bets from Thailand, 9-7, and Singapore, 9-3.
RP billiards patron Aristeo "Putch" Puyat wasn't suprised of the event's turnout.
"I am expecting that. There is little competition for us in the region as far as pool events are concerned."
Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) president Ernesto Fajardo lauded the good start of the Filipino cue / snooker artists. "That's the best way to start the Games," Fajardo said.
