Hermogenes is 8-ball champ anew at New Bamboo Bar

Rey Hermogenes, second from left, won the New Bamboo Bar Battle of the Champions last Saturday at the New Bamboo Bar in Saipan Las Vegas Resort along Middle Road. (Contributed photo)

Rey Hermogenes went perfect en route to winning the New Bamboo Bar Battle of the Champions last Saturday at the New Bamboo Bar in Saipan Las Vegas Resort along Middle Road.

The 58-year-old general maintenance staff at the Kristo Rai Church only needed to win Game 1 against Jerry Soriano in the championship round to rule the competition.

The finals seemed headed to a winner-take-all Game 2 as Soriano made quick work of his solid balls and kept Hermogenes in his chair. However, disaster struck for the 50-year-old Marianas Water & Ice deliveryman when he accidentally hit the 8-ball with only two solid balls left on his rack. Hermogenes thus won without really doing anything and pocketed the $500 first-place purse.

“I was just lucky even before the finals last Saturday. I didn’t drop a game in my first four matches and that’s why I advanced to the finals with the twice-to-beat advantage,” he said.

The ace pool player from Marilao, Bulacan in the Philippines started his perfect evening with a win over Danny Miranda. He then followed that up by beating Roel Baretto before making it three straight by vanquishing Ben Norita.

Hermogenes then got the first finals berth and the all-important twice-to-beat advantage locked up after humbling Soriano in their first encounter of the night.

Soriano, meanwhile, also started strong with a victory over Anson Smith. He then got the better of Rowell “Cobra” Mariano in the second round before making is 3-for-3 by overcoming Nolan Cultura.

After getting stopped by eventual winner Hermogenes, Soriano regrouped and triumphed over Cultura in the loser’s bracket finals to get another crack at his winner’s bracket conqueror. He appeared on his way to at last force a do-or-die second game until that accidental carrom on the 8-ball ultimately cost him the championship.

The Mexico, Pampanga in the Philippines native settled for the $250 second place prize, while Cultura wound up third and went home with $100.

A total of 16 pool masters took part in the New Bamboo Bar Battle, which gathers the month’s weekly winners for the monthly championship. The 8-ball tournament, sponsored by New Bamboo Bar, Saipan Vegas, and Budweiser, is held every month and for more information, call Soriano at 588-1971.