18 pairs secure playoff seats in IT&E tourney

Deether Edralin serves, while Jenine Savellano gets ready during their mixed doubles A game against Macoi Aguda and Lanie Bartolome in the IT&E tournament last Sunday at the TSL Sports Complex. (Jon Perez)

Eighteen pairs earned playoff berths in the IT&E Doubles and Mixed Doubles Badminton Competition 2016 after Week 2 matches were completed over the weekend at the TSL Sports Complex.

In the men’s AB doubles, Glenn Buultjens and Nathan Guerrero and Andreau Galvez and Rodwealth Espana advanced to the next round after wrapping up the elimination round matches in their respective groups. Buultjens and Guerrero finished Group A with a 3-1 record to bag the first semis ticket, while Galvez and Espana got the similar mark in Group B. Jordan Pangilinan and Joel Ortega are likely to take the other semis slot in Group A as they hold a 2-0 mark, heading into Week 3 games. The duos of Deether Edralin and Ezekiel Macario (1-2) and Daniel Macario and Oh Im Bog (2-1) will battle for the other playoff seat in Group B.

In the men’s doubles B, Jun Lee and Joel Ortega own a 3-1 mark and are assured of one of the four playoff spots in the six-team field. There is an open race for the remaining three semis tickets.

In the men’s doubles C, only two Final Four tickets are up for grabs as Patrick Fernandez and A.J. Ortega and Henry and Ha Jin Oh have already taken the first two. Ortega and Fernandez are done with their elimination assignment, getting a 3-1 mark in Group A, while Hajin and Henry also hold a 3-1 slate.

In the women’s doubles A division is, two have gained entry to the next round with Alma Ortega and Hannah Choi leading the way with their perfect 4-0 mark. Janelle Pangilinan and Jenine Savellano are the other qualifiers, leaving three other pairs to fight for the two remaining semis seats.

In the women’s doubles B, the semis cast has been completed. Nicole Malasarte and Loida Ito are among the semifinalists as they are unbeaten in three games with one match left in the five-team field. Rounding out the list are Alma Ortega and Windy Fernandez (3-1), Julie Lee and Erica Jung (2-2), and Rowena Sison and Cheng Saturno (1-2).

In the mixed doubles A, Group B has two qualifiers in Edralin and Savellano, who hold a 4-0 slate, and Galvez and Malou Malasarte (3-1). In Group B, the Pangilinan siblings boosted their semis chances after improving their record to 2-0. Daniel Macario and Choi and Buultjens and Sison are still in contention with their identical 1-2 marks, while Marlene Peraja and Hapi Gabriel are a long shot for a Final Four ticket with their 0-3 card.

In the mixed doubles B, Guerrero and Nicole Malasarte and Oh Im Bog and Sison took the semis berths in Group B after rounding out the elimination with 4-0 and 3-1 slates, respectively. In Group A, Chris Hilario and Fernandez got the first playoff spot after completing the pool play with a 3-1 card.

The playoff format for the events that are divided into two pools are Group A’s 1 vs Group B’s No. 2 and vice versa, while the other categories will have the following semis pairings: No. 1 vs No. 4 and No. 2 vs No. 3.