Bata, Django vs Deuel, T’hashi

It’s Efren "Bata" Reyes versus American Corey Deuel and Francisco "Django" Bustamante against Japanese Kunihiko Takahashi in the semifinals of the Motolite World 9-Ball Challenge.

Takahashi and Deuel advanced to the semis against Bustamante and Reyes as they finished first and second in the international field at the close of the eliminations of the $40,000 yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Reyes and Bustamante gained passage into the semis as early as Saturday, topping the local side that included Antonio "Nikoy" Lining and Dennis Orcullo.

The fight among the international players was so close, it wasn’t settled until after the final match in the elims where Reyes beat Deuel by three racks at 7-4.

Expecting that he would be booted out following a 6-7 loss by Bustamante to Takahashi early in the day, the temperamental Strickland made insinuations there was a plot among local players to ease him out of the semis.

He cited crucial misses and one bad shot by Bustamante allowing Takahashi to rally from 4-6 down for a crucial one-rack win. Told of Strickland’s tirades, Bustamante said: "Ganyan naman talaga iyan. Kung sa akin niya sinabi iyon, hinataw ko ng tako iyan."

Strickland, who toppled Lining, 7-5, in his final match in the elims, actually finished tied with Deuel at second place in the international field with identical 2-2 win-loss cards. Deuel took second spot, though, on a better tiebreak score. Deuel yielded only a total of 21 racks in the elims as against Strickland’s 23.

Thus, it will be Reyes-Deuel and Bustamante-Takahashi in the race-to-nine cross-over semis. All are assured of at least $5,000 with the winners today gaining a shot at the $15,000 top prize in the race-to-13 finals tomorrow.

"Ang laking pera niyan, bakit hindi ko gugustuhing manalo," said Bustamante.

Breaking for the match at 6-4, Bustamante looked headed for the victory until he missed the 2-ball on a banked shot.

Takahashi won that rack and tied the match at 6-6 on a cleanup in the ensuing rack.

Bustamante had a good break on the deciding 13th rack only to commit a miscue on 6-ball. But the Filipino bet gained another chance to win the match with the Japanese miscalculating his own shot at the 6-ball.

Alas, Bustamante blew the opportunity as he was even called for a foul.