By MARK REY MONTEJO
The Philippines made it back to the billiards map as the classy duo of Johann Chua and James Aranas completed their Cinderella story in the 2023 World Cup of Pool Monday morning in Lugo, Spain.
It took 10 years for the country to win the prestigious World 9-Ball Championships once again – thanks to Chua and Aranas who produced one incredible shot after the other to outlast Germany’s Joshua Filler and Moritz Neuhausen, 11-7.
While they were not forced into hill-hill situations like their wins in the quarters and semis, the unseeded duo still endured some tense moments before finally prevailing in front of hundreds of ecstatic fans who crammed the venue.
Also credit their steely resolve for winning one of toughest fields ever after toppling defending champions Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and David Alcaide of Spanish A, 7-5, right in the first round.
They actually fell 2-1 after the first three racks, but sensing danger, they pushed the beast mode button after that and they went on a tear, winning the next 8 frames as their confidence steadily fortified.
Drama then came into play once again as Filler and Neuhaussen won the next five frames their race-to-11 tussle to inch closer at 9-7.
In the 17th rack Chua drained a crucial 8-ball after it was hit by number 2-ball to reach the hill before finishing them on with another virtuoso performance in the final rack.
The title win was the fourth for the country counting the wins of Efren “Bata” Reyes and Django Bustamante in 2006 and 2009 and the 2013 conquest of Dennis Orcollo and Lee Van Corteza.
The win was worth $60,000 (roughly P3.3 million) for the Filipino duo, but more than that it pushed the Philippines ahead of China for the most number of titles.
They advanced to the finals by pulling off similar riveting 9-8 wins over Taiwanese Ko Ping Chung and Ko Pin Yi in the quarters and two-time champion Mario He and Albin Ouschan of Austria.
