Unlikely Phl duo trips Taiwanese for crown

MANILA, Philippines - Unheralded Jordan Legaspi and Romeo Silvano pulled off a shock come-from-behind 11-10 victory over fancied Cheng Yu Hsuan and Hsu Kai Lun of Taiwan to snare the MP Cup 10-Ball doubles crown at the SM City Mall in Gen. Santos City yesterday.

Legaspi and Silvano, former rivals in Bulacan but linked up at the last minute for this $150,000 doubles event, battled back from deficits of 0-4 and 7-10 in the race-to-11 finals then pulled through in a gripping hill-hill game to pocket the top $40,000 purse.

“We used to clash in Bulacan but I knew he (Silvano) has the touch that’s why I took him as partner in this doubles event,” said Legaspi, after nailing his first major win with an unlikely partner.

The favored Taiwanese pair swept the first four racks and appeared headed for the win after keeping a three-rack lead after 18. But the Filipinos took the next three racks to force a hill-hill match.

In the 21st frame, Hsu made a scratch on the break and Silvano, 28, and Legaspi, 25, took the cue, completing a clean-up to steal the win to the delight of the big crowd in the event put up by boxing icon Rep. Manny Pacquiao who also turned 36 yesterday.

The Legaspi-Silvano pair defeated the MP Cup defending champion team of Jeffrey Ignacio and Jeffrey de Luna, 9-7, in the semifinals to earn the right to meet Hsu and Cheng.

“We didn’t expect to reach this far but we thank God for winning this event,” said Silvano.