Ito, Galvez make Shirley’s Classic finals

Angie Ito and Andrew Galvez took the short route to the finals of the mixed doubles AA division of the 2011 Shirley’s Badminton Classic after sweeping their elimination round games at the TSL Sports Complex.

Galvez and Ito won their last match in the group last Wednesday, beating Malou Malasarte and Hapi Gabriel to finish the round-robin play with a perfect 7-0 win-loss record and notch the first finals seat. Under tournament rules, the pair to sweep its elimination game automatically advances to the championship game.

The next three finishers will battle for the remaining finals berth. Dick Guintu and Hannah Choi (4-1), Ferdie Arago and Lani Bartolome (4-2), Macoi Aguda and Marlene Peraja (2-2), and Gerry Hibi and Annarose Omori (3-3) are among those fighting for the three remaining playoff spots. Mario Diola (0-6), Gabriel and Malasarte (2-4), and Edwin Montoya and Cheng Saturno (1-5) are already eliminated.

In the mixed doubles lower A, only Gary Bandoja and Choi have the chance to gain an outright finals ticket, as they hold a 5-0 card, heading into this weekend’s games. The leading duo needs to win over Guintu and Toshiko Obata, Aguda and Lot Abuel, and Robert Reyes and Malasarte to march into the finals immediately.

If Bandoja and Cho fail to sweep the elimination games in the lower A division, they will still advance to the playoffs, joining three other teams. Arago and Annette Quiambao (4-1), Reyes and Malasarte (4-1), and Guintu and Obata (3-1) are likely to join Bandoja and Choi to the next round.

In the mixed doubles 40-and-above, which is divided into two groups, Guintu and Oh In Sook and Lito Mendoza and Anna Alvarez are unbeaten in three games, boosting their chances for the automatic finals berth in Pool A. If no team sweeps Pool A games, the Top 2 squads in the group will move into the crossover semis. If the top team sweeps the pool, the next two squads will still make it to the next round.

In Pool B, the tandem of Diola and Choi is the only team that has a chance for the outright finals ticket with its 5-0 slate. Vic Regis and Annarose Omori (5-2) and Reyes and Elma Labuson (4-1) are still in contention for the Top 2 seats in the group.

In the mixed doubles BB, Bandoja and Sook are a win away from sweeping Pool A and making it to the finals as they now own a 7-0 mark. The duo plays Saul Gargallo and Quiambao (4-1) in its last elimination game this weekend.

In Pool B, all teams have already tasted defeat, but only three have a chance to march into the next round. The list includes Oh Imbog and Obata (6-1), siblings Wowie Abuel and Lani Bartolome (6-1), and Chris Hilario and Annette Ta (5-1).

In the mixed doubles CC, three teams are tied for first place with similar 5-1 records. They are Brandon Talania and Wendy Fernandez, Luis Camacho and Elna Curate, and Nani and Roma Barlao. There is also a three-way tie for first place in Pool B with Kanata Omori and Cleofe Santos, Jerome Malasarte and Cris Obaldo, and Joel Ortega and Kim Boranah holding identical 5-1 slates. Organizers have yet to inform Saipan Tribune how the deadlocks will be broken to get the Top 2 placers in each pool.

Elimination games will be completed this weekend, while playoff matches are set for next week.