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Hustlers vs Wild Bill’s in Thursday billiards semis
Wild Bill’s players enjoy a light moment after beating the Jokers Homeboyz in the Budweiser Cup of the Thursday 8-Ball Billiards League. (Contributed Photo)
The visiting Hustlers scored a come-from-behind 9-8 win last week to eliminate the Magic 8 Ball and join Wild Bill’s, Poseidon Titans and Jonny’s Team SCS into the Final Four that will be played on Dec. 18.
Magic 8 Ball jumped to an early 6-1 advantage, as Chesther Cuento, Rey Hermogenes, Rodel Dela Cruz and Rick Elefante alternated in beating Senen Pangilinan, Robert Sanciangco, Jerry Soriano, Simon Kapileo, and Oscar Sablan in the two doubles and five singles matches played. Soriano scored the Hustlers’ lone win against Rico Montano in the first singles 8-Ball event.
The tandems of Soriano and Pangilinan and Kapileo and Sanciangco then won their respective match-ups against the Magic 8 Ball pairs of Cuento and Hermogenes and Dela Cruz and Elefante in the doubles. Magic 8 Ball, despite losing three of the five singles events, banked on Cuento and Elfante to move them one win away from earning a semis berth in the race-to-nine contest. However, down by three wins and facing elimination, Soriano and the rest of the Hustlers topped their respective opponents to complete the comeback win.
The Hustlers will next face Wild Bill’s, a 9-4 conqueror of the Jokers Homeboyz, while the Poseidon Titans earned the right of facing Jonny’s Team SCS following a 9-8 victory against National Alamo Car Rental.
Team SCS earned a semis spot after a 9-3 demolition of the Barcode Breakers.
In the Budweiser Cup Tuesday league, the Jokers IT&E Voyagers also escaped with a 9-8 triumph over the Smoke Pub Saipan TV Hustlers to grab the last semis berth and join the Str8 Shooters, Jonny’s Crazy 8 and Smoke Pub Sang&D’Gang to the next round.
Rolly Villanueva, with the score tied at 8, gave the Voyagers the needed win after beating Rowel Villanueva in the final singles event.
The Voyagers will face sister team Str8 Shooters tomorrow, while the Crazy 8 take on Sang&D”Gang in the other Final Four pairing. (Jon Perez)
