FILIPINO ANTONIO "GAGA"GABICA, the country's most underrated pool player today rallied from three racks deficit (3-6) to beat Taiwanese Wang Hung-Hsiang in come-from-behind, 9-7, victory yesterday to book the second finals seat in the third leg of the 2008 Guinness 9-Ball Tour being held at the Genting International Convention Center in Malaysia.
With the win, the 36-year-old Lapu-Lapu City native Gabica, member of the star-studded Philippine Billiards Development Foundation (PBDF) prevent it what seemed a possible Taiwanese finals when he meet reigning over-all tour champion Chang Jung-lin of Taiwan, who earlier beat Ryu Seung Woo of Korea, 9-2.
After Gabica failed to sank the No.9 ball in the 15th racks, he didn't waste a time to clean up the table after Wang miss a corner pocket shot at No.2 ball in the 16th racks for a 9-7 triumph.
Gabica is looking to end's the Taiwanese Domination while Chang eyeing his third consecutive leg title after winning the Taipei (Taiwan) and Penang (Malaysia) leg, respectively.
On the road to the final four, Gabica nipped Yang Ching-shun of Taiwan, 9-7, while Chang smashed Li He-wen of China, 9-0.
Other Filipinos who competed in the tournament were Alex Pagulayan and Marlon Manalo. Both failed to reach the knockout part of the tournament.
by: MARLON BERNARDINO.
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