Filipino Pool Players and The Philippine Team, SEA Games - Congratulations!

Congratulations to the members of Team Philippines who competed in the 24th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Thailand! From what we could all gather here, our kababayan athletes showed a lot of heart and determination in the 2007 SEA Games. Mabuhay kayong lahat!

Special mention to the Filipino pool players representing the Philippine Billiards Team coached by my good friends Ricardo Ancaja, aka Ramon Champion, and Edgardo Asonto, aka Boyet! Our Filipino pool champions finished the 2007 SEA Games with three golds, two silvers, and four bronzes! And I kid you not! The medal tally and respective pocket billiards and snoooker competitions in the 24^th SEA Games held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, are as follows:

Gold Medalists:

2006 World Pool Champion Ronnie Alcano, aka The Volcano (Men’s 8-ball Singles);
2005 Gold Medalist Rubilen Amit, aka Bingkay - in a historic defense of her 9-ball crown;
Antonio Gabica, Gaga, and Marlon Manalo, aka Marvelous (Men’s 9-ball Doubles).

Silver Medalists:

Lee Vann Corteza (Men’s 9-Ball Single against Indonesia’s Ricky Yang, 8-11);
Mary Ann Basas (Women’s 6-Red Snooker Singles);

Bronze Medalists:

Iris Ranola (Women’s 6-Red Snooker Singles);
Rubilen Amit (Women’s 8-ball Singles);
Antonio Gabica, aka Gaga, (Men's 9-ball Singles);
Benjamin Guevarra, Jr. and James Al Ortega (Men’s Snooker Doubles).

To the coaches and players of Team Philippines who participated in the 24th SEA Games - CONGRATULATIONS! Here's wishing and hoping for more golds and championships! Mabuhay!

"Go Team Philippines! - The AnitoKid"

*Did you enjoy the post? Did you find it interesting?
You know what to do...:)

Free Sports Picks and Expert Sports Handicapping at Doc's Sports!

Have you been missing out on great game picks? Then, do not miss another one! Check out Doc’s Sports Service! Doc’s Sports has been offering sports information on all major sporting events since 1971! And not just sports information, mind you, but winning ones! It is one of the best online sources of winning picks! No kidding! The sports service features winning picks, live lines and odds, and game/play matchup reports on every popular sport. These include basketball, football, hockey, boxing, baseball, etc. Doc’s Sports Service’s handicapping matchup reports revolves around the NFL, NCAA, NBA, MLB, and NHL! The reports are complimented by a scores list and schedule rotation! Doc’s Sports also feature articles that are updated daily and previews on upcoming events and odds! New to game picks and handicapping? Worry no more! Doc’s Sports has a ton of handicapping resources geared toward making newkids understand what makes a winning pick tick and helping experienced gamers zoom in to more winnings! Talk about a one-stop-shop! It’s a sports picks paradise for gamers!

And oh! Don’t forget to check out the Doc’s Sports College Bowl Game Schedules! The Bowl Game schedule page is updated with every bowl game, which is concurrently linked to an in depth preview of all 32 bowl games. Yes, all 32 bowl games are featured in the Bowl Game Schedules page, including data on individual team previews, pre-game analyses, etc. – all geared toward realizing that winning pick and beating the point spread! Each and every preview is updated and linked to as fast as they come to Doc’s Sports pool of writers!

So, what are you waiting for? Get those winning picks now and beat the spread! Sign up with Doc’s Sports and live the rush with over 30 years of handicapping experience! Get Doc’s Sports’ free newsletter and receive free football and basketball handicapping info! Your free sports picks will include picks and predictions on NBA, NHL, NFL handicapping, college basketball, early team plays, etc. It will also include winning sports betting tips from Doc’s Sports’ group of handicappers. It's expert sports handicapping all the way! And I kid you not!

Filipino Pool Player Ronnie Alcano Wins SEA Games' 8-Ball Gold!

Congratulations to 2006 World Pool Champion Ronnie Alcano, aka The Volcano, who went for gold in the 2007 SEA Games’ 8-ball competition! Ronnie Alcano pocketed the 8-ball crown for the Philippines after recovering from what he suspected as food poisoning. The Filipino pool player edged the tough challenge posed by Singapore’s Tey Choon Kiatt with a 9-6 win at the Sima Thani Hall, Thailand, bringing to three the number of gold medals won by the Philippine Billiards Team. Antonio Gabica, aka Gaga, and Marlon Manalo, aka Marvelous, won the gold in the men’s 9-ball doubles competition, while Rubilen Amit, aka Bingkay, made history when she took home the bacon in the women’s 9-ball showdown. Ronato Alcano and Marlon Manalo led the RP squad in the recently concluded 2007 Kabayan San Miguel Beer (SMB) World 9-Ball Challenge: RP versus Rest of the World billiards competition at the Filipiniana Hotel in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. The Philippine Team (Billiards) is headed by my good friends Ricardo Ancaja, aka Ramon Champion, and Edgardo B. Asonto, aka Boyet.

Ronnie Alcano complained of loose bowel movement after taking a late dinner. Alcano was also vomiting repeatedly before his quarterfinal match against Singapore’s Toh Lian Han of Singapore. He disposed Toh with a close 9-8 victory before trouncing Malaysia’s Ibrahim Bin Amir at a 9-7 exciting finish. With regards to the food poisoning thought, unless another player was food poisoned, it could have just been a simple case of bum stomach or loose bowel movement. :) Congratulations Ronnie for a job well done! Very impressive wins, kabayan! And I kid you not! Mabuhay!

And here’s another piece of good news! A Christmas bonus awaits Filipino medalists in the 24th Southeast Asian Games being held in Thailand! Under the Christmas bonus scheme, a gold medalist will receive Php100,000; a silver will net you Php50,000; and the bronze is worth Php10,000. Not bad! Not bad at all considering that the cash gifts are on top of the regular incentives given by the government through the Philippine Sports Commission for SEA Games medalists! And please don't forget the coaches! :)

"The AnitoKid and the Philippine Team as One!"

*Did you enjoy the post? Did you find it interesting?
You know what to do...:)

Rubilen Amit Wins 2007 SEA Games 9-Ball Billiards Championship!

Filipino pool player Rubilen Amit, aka Bingkay, won’t be denied! And I kid you not! Congratulations to my good friend Rubilen Amit who successfully defended and retained her SEA Games 9-ball championship with a 7-5 win over Angeline Magdalena Ticoalu at the Sima Thani Hall in Thailand!

Rubilen Amit, a double-gold medal winner in the 2005 Manila SEA Games and 1st-Runner Up at the Amway 2007 World 9-Ball Championship, made a come-from-behind rally after tailing 2-5 in the alternate-break 9-ball pocket billiards format. Amit successfully posted the second gold for the Philippine billiards team. Marlon Manalo, aka Marvelous, and Antonio Gabica, aka Gaga, won the first gold for the team in the 9-ball billiards doubles competition. Other notable billiards players who were trounced by Rubilen Amit, an accounting graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas, include Indonesia’s Wahyuni Sri and Thailand’s Jaisuekul Santhinee.

Amit’s game was characterized by her unmistakable rhythm, fantastic safety shots, and good breaks, which she capitalized on towards the end of the match. A handful of Filipino supporters, led by my good friends,Edgardo “Boyet” Asonto and Ricardo Ancaja, aka Ramon Champion (Coaches of the Philippine Billiards Team), and Philippine Team members Iris Ranola and Mary Ann Basas, were at the event and celebrated Bingkay’s awesome win with other Filipinos.

The Philippine Billiards Team (Women's)
Coach Boyet Asonto with
Mary Ann Basas, Rubilen Amit, and Iris Ranola

Rubilen Amit has been under Boyet Asonto’s wings for a number of years now. I saw how Rubilen’s game improved a hundred-fold under Boyet’s intense drills in pockets billiards as they practiced for hours daily at the AMF-Superbowl at the Makati Cinema Square, Makati City, and GameBall in Taft, Manila. Boyet even had the entire Philippine Team practice at GameBall on December 1, 2007, the last Saturday before their departure for the 2007 SEA Games on December 4, 2007! Saturdays are usually reserved for the personal itineraries of the individual members of the Philippine Team, but the Coach wouldn’t have it any other way! He really wanted the Philippine Team to bring home the gold! I also remember the talk we had on the night before the Philippine Team’s departure for Thailand. We were at the AMF-Puyat Superbowl when Boyet Asonto confided in me his desire to see gold for all members of the Philippine Billiards Team. He talked about the weather, playing conditions, travel time, the strengths and weaknesses of the players, and the psychological aspects of the game. Indeed, Boyet was filled with excitement that night! If you could have seen the glow in his eyes! Grabe! Congratulations, my friend for a job well done! You trained ‘em hard! You trained’ em well! A hat tip to you, pare!

The AnitoKid with Boyet Asonto, Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit,
Antonio "Gaga" Gabica, and Gabica Jr.

Congratulations Bingkay! Remember what I told you at GameBall? Now, I need to have my picture taken with the gold medal! Ha ha ha! You make the Filipinos proud! You really do! Mabuhay!

"The AnitoKid supports the Philippine Team!"

*Did you enjoy the post? Did you find it interesting?
You know what to do...:)