Espiritu wins $1K Top Pool Bar 9-Ball

Filipino pool shark Roger Espiritu outlasted local cue artist Vic S. Hocog to win the $1K Top Pool Bar 9-Ball Tournament that concluded early Monday morning at the Garapan sports bar.

It was an early Christmas present for Espiritu, who raced to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship round, only to watch helplessly on the sidelines as Hocog came charging back.

The Pacific Oriental Inc. employee, however, outlasted the 5th Field Marines member in six games and pocketed the $500 grand prize—the biggest payoff in this year’s pool circuit.

Hocog, who waited for what seemed like forever to play in the finals, settled for the $300 second-place purse, while fellow Corner Pocket habitué Rolly Villanueva took home $200 after pulling off the tournament’s most improbable comeback over Tinian pool ace Russell Long.

The $1K Top Pool Bar 9-Ball Tournament was actually set for only the weekend but protracted matches, borne out from the players’ defensive schemes, resulted in the competition spilling over to the daybreak hours of Monday.

Top Pool Bar manager Zheng Jian Qing fell just four players short of his expected 32-person field. The 28 players that started the tournament included three from Tinian and one woman, Jackie Sasaki.

Of the three players from Saipan’s southern neighbor only Sean Borja failed to make the grade Saturday, as he had to take a seat against Henry Sasaki, 1-7. Long came though with a 7-3 win over Gary Pangelinan, while Tony Borja upended Chris Guerrero, 7-3.

Sasaki’s better half, Jackie, meanwhile, showed off womanpower in a big way, eliminating Harris, 7-3.

Espiritu and Villanueva also advanced to the second round without much effort. Espiritu, who is known by his nickname The Ghost, finished off Jerry Soriano, 7-1. Villanueva, for his part, took care of Mario Diola, 7-4.

Other opening round results saw Senen Pangilinan dump Rene Pe (7-3), Zang nip Alan Chang (7-6), Joey Lucido beat Erick Santos (7-3), Nolan Cultura defeat R.J. Mascarinas (7-5), Willy Roman sweep Patrick Woods (7-0), and Manny Mariano get the better of Luis Fajardo (7-4). Four players, Hocog, Zheng, Juancho Mendoza and Ram, were given byes.

In the second round, Villanueva kept on rolling when he sat down Pangilinan, 7-4. Espiritu was also not feeling Christmassy, as he nearly skunked Cultura, 7-1. Lucido had no trouble against Zang, 7-1, while Henry Sasaki sent Tony Borja packing, 7-2.

Other second round results saw Mendoza oust the tournament’s leading lady, Jackie Sasaki (7-3), Roman drop Ram (7-4), and Hocog put on a clinic against good friend Zheng (7-2). Long also advanced following a 7-5 triumph over Mariano.

The Final Four was threshed out after the third round with Villanueva, Hocog, Long, and Espiritu completing the semifinal cast Sunday evening.

Villanueva had no problems taking care of Henry Sasaki, 7-2. Hocog, meanwhile, experienced the exact opposite, as Mendoza tested him 7-4. Long also was extended by Roman 7-5. Espiritu, for his part, capitalized on crucial miscues by close friend Lucido to prevail 7-4.

With Sunday turning into Monday, Espiritu and Hocog kicked it up a notch in the semis. Espiritu started like a house on fire against Villanueva, surrendering just two games before winning in a score of 7-2. Earlier, Hocog dismissed Long in a tight one 7-4.

In the finals, Espiritu jumped the gun on Hocog, as he showed no ill effects of playing seven straight hours against his well-rested rival. He would win the first three games and at 4-1 was at the cusp of erecting a commanding four-game lead when disaster struck.

Espiritu missed badly on the 6-ball when it seemed he was on target to run the table. Hocog was all too willing to take advantage and pocketed the last three balls to inch close at 2-4.

After yet another late-game collapse made it 3-4, Espiritu allowed Hocog to draw level at 4-4 when the former left the 9-ball dangling on the left corner pocket.

He would redeem himself, however, in the next two games to move within a game of clinching the championship. But the no-quit Hocog again took advantage of an Espiritu miscue on the 8-ball to make it 5-6.

In what turned out to be the last game of the finals, Hocog had plenty of chances to extend it to a seventh, do-or-die game when Espiritu fell into a maze of uncharacteristic errors.

He first misfired on the 5-ball but Hocog did the same on a rail shot on the 7-ball. Espiritu took care of that nuisance only to skip a shot on the 8-ball. Hocog calmly sank the second to the last ball but nerves got the better of him when he missed on an easy straightaway shot on the 9-ball.

This time, Espiritu didn’t take any chances, as the player they call The Ghost made the 9-ball disappear to win the tournament.

In the battle for third, Villanueva rallied from a 6-3 deficit to beat Long for the second runner-up prize.