FILIPINO pool wizard Francisco “Django” Bustamante squeaked past Taiwanese Pin Yi-ko, 9-7, in the Philippine Bigtime Billiards (PBB) Face Off Series late Saturday at the Pagcor Airport Casino in Parañaque City.
The 48-year-old pool legend showed vintage form to pull off a come-from-behind win against Ko.
The Tarlac City cue master, one of the top players of sportsman/businessman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, trailed, 5-7, before securing the next four racks to lift Team Philippines to a 1-all deadlock against Team Asia.
Actually, the two-time World Junior Champion Ko took a 3-1 and 6-4 lead until Bustamante fought back from the grave.
“I didn’t lose hope because of the winner’s break format. Maybe it can turn around the situation but i needed to play solid,” said Bustamante.
Last Feb. 18, Ko downed Filipino pool maestro Efren “Bata” Reyes, 9-4, for the first win of Team Asia.
The PBB Face Off series resumes with a match pitting 2012 World 8-Ball Champion Jung Lin Chang of Chinese-Taipei against Lee Vann “The Slayer” Corteza on March 3. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino