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Lucido rules blind draw billiards tourney
Joey Lucido bested 15 other players in the blind draw 8-Ball tournament held last Sunday after the awards banquet of the Saipan Billiard’s Association’s 2014 summer-fall season Thursday and Tuesday leagues.
From left Senen Pangilinan, Joey Lucido, and Ray Matsunaga pose for a photo during a break in their game in Saipan Bowling Association’s blind draw tournament last Sunday at the Smoke Pub Bar in Garapan. (Contributed Photo)
Lucido, a member of the regular season runner-up Saipan TV Hustlers, swept all of his four matches to clinch the first finals berth in the double elimination round tournament held at the Smoke Pub Bar in Garapan.
He first dispatched Zaldy Quebral then followed it up with a victory over Rowel Mariano before wrapping up the elims with consecutive wins against Ray Matsunaga. In the finals, Lucido defeated Senen Pangilinan to bring home the $90 top purse plus the champions trophy.
Pangilinan, who defeated Matsunaga in the loser’s bracket semifinals, settled for the $45 runners-up cash prize. Matsunaga won $25 for placing third.
Pangilinan, in the loser’s bracket, kept his title bid alive with wins over Thursday league most valuable player Rodel Dela Cruz and Joseph Achas. He recorded his third straight victory by beating Jeff Garcia and earned the right of facing Matsunaga in the semis after disposing of Juancho Mendoza.
Warlee Ellama, Simeon Kapileo, Cesar Sangalang, Nolan Cultura, Chester Cuento, Patrick Cepeda, and Rolly Bermiso were the other players who competed in the one-day tournament.
While some of the top individual players joined the blind draw tournament, others missed the event, including Tuesday league’s MVPs Juancho Mendoza and Marc Brian Nelvis and Thursday league Finals MVP Jerry Soriano. Nelves also won the Tuesday league Finals MVP.
Meanwhile, other awardees last Sunday were Jonny’s Team SCS and Smoke Pub Sang&D’Gang, which got the sportsmanship awards based on all team captains’ votes
Route33 Armatech Hustlers topped the regular season and Budweiser Cup in the Thursday league, while Jokers IT&E Voyagers duplicated the feat in the Tuesday league. (Jon Perez)
