Above: BSCP Chairman Yen Makabenta and Bugsy Promotions President Perry Mariano
BSCP Vice President Edgar Acaba delivered the right adage on the right occasion to set things right in Philippine pool.
“United we stand, divided we fall,” said Acaba during the press conference of the World Ten Ball Championship (WTBC) Tuesday at the Heritage Hotel.
Those six words spiked by the prodding of emcee Ted Lerner officially ended a near two-year standoff in Philippine billiards that has divided the local pool community.
BSCP chairman Yen Makabenta and Bugsy Promotions President Perry Mariano, two of the key figures in the row, sealed it with a handshake in front of some of the biggest names in pool and a horde of sportswriters and photographers.
For Makabenta, communication was the key.
“We never stopped talking to each other to resolve the issues,” said Makabenta, also the chairman of Raya Sports.
Mariano for his part said, “It’s for the benefit of the players that we end this misunderstanding.”
It’s a huge moment in Philippine pool and a big shot in the arm for the WTBC. The unification gives top players like double world champion Ronnie Alcano, Dennis Orcullo and Lee Vann Corteza a chance to compete in the world stage. They now join the likes of Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Gabica, Marlon Manalo and Jeffrey de Luna in carrying the colors of the country in the only world pool championship this year.
German Ralf Souquet, the event’s top seed and current world No. 1 in the WPA rankings, thinks that this year’s WTBC is one of the toughest tournaments to win in history.
“The field is very deep especially with the top Filipino players competing,” said Souquet, who is also the reigning world 8-ball champ.
Orcullo, whose world ranking plummeted from No. 1 to never mind because of the standoff, couldn’t hide his excitement.
“I’m very happy because I can play again in the world championship,” said Orcullo.
Orcullo and Marlon Manalo are widely considered as the best players in the world without a world title.
