Django willing to join Asian Games team

MANILA, Philippines - Newly crowned world pool champion Francisco “Django” Bustamante yesterday expressed his willingness to join buddy Efren “Bata” Reyes and the Philippine team to the coming Asian Games in Guangzhou.
Bustamante originally failed to make the contingent after faltering in the local qualifiers but with his recent triumph in Doha, playing coach Reyes and Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines officials are considering to insert the pool ace into the squad.
“I’m truly willing to join the Asian Games if they have a spot for me,” Bustamante said during the “POC on Air” radio program.
But since all the berths in the billiards and snooker squad have been filled up, Reyes and BSCP president Bong Ilagan would likely assign the power-breaking Bustamante as either a training partner or alternate.
“It would be better if we have a world champion like Django in our team. His presence alone would certainly sow fear into the hearts of our opponents,” Reyes said in Filipino.

Bustamante has previously brought honor to the country in the Asiad, teaming up with Antonio Lining to win the 9-ball doubles gold back in 2002 in Busan.

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Django, Alcano win; Bata falls

Nine Filipino bets hammered out convincing victories to reach the Round of 32, but pool maestro Efren "Bata" Reyes, Dennis Orcollo and Lee Vann Corteza bowed out of contention in the 2010 WPA World Pool Championship in Doha, Qatar.
Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Ronnie Alcano led the charge of the remaining RP bets, whose victories more than made up for the shock defeats of Reyes, former world No. 1 Orcollo and current World No. 5 Corteza.
Bustamante routed German Oliver Ortman, 11-2, while Alcano, who ruled this event in 2006 in Manila, overwhelmed Indian Muhammad Zulfikri, 11-6, as they remained on track for the $36,000 champion's purse.
Also cruising to the next round of the week-long event held at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation hall were former Asian Games gold medalist Jeffrey de Luna, Marlon Manalo, Japan-based Antonio Lining, Francisco Felicida, Raymund Faraon, Oliver Medenilla and little-known Venacio Tanio, who pulled off one of the day's biggest upsets.
Tanio booted out German Ralf Souquet, the reigning world 8-ball champ,11-9, while De Luna trounced Taiwanese Chang Jung-lin, 11-9, Manalo turned back Taiwanese Lu Hui Chan, 11-8, Lining routed Malaysian Lee Poh Soon, 11-6, Felicilda downed Qataris Bashar Hussain, 11-7, Faraon booted out Ukrainian Artem Koshovoj, 11-8, and Medenilla crushed nipped Japanese Yukio Akakariyama.
The 55-year-old Reyes, who snared the Spanish Open last week, bowed to American Johnny Archer in a hill-hill battle, 10-11, while the reigning World Pool Masters champion Orcollo yielded to Italian Bruno Muratore, 8-11, and 2010 US Open 10-ball titlist Corteza lost to Tony Drago of Malta, 7-11.
Four other Pinoys were shown the door as Joven Alba, a Middle East pool instructor, bowed to American Shane Van Boening, 7-11, while former Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Gabica suffered a 4-11 defeat to English Craig Osbome and Israel Rota succumbed and Allan Cuartero yielded to Canadian Jason Klatt, 8-11, and Dutch Nick Van Den Berg, 6-11, respectively.
Another Filipino is expected to get the door as De Luna is set to face Felicilda in a Round-of-32 match.

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