Chang upstages Gomez in PBB Face Off billiards

SUPERMAN almost won it, but Taiwanese Chang Jung-lin found the kryptonite he needed to down Filipino Roberto Gomez, 9-7, and win the Philippine Bigtime Billiards Face Off Series last Saturday at the Pagcor Airport Casino in Paranaque City.

Gomez, known internationally as Superman, raced a 3-1 lead before Chang tied the match at 3-all. The game was tied again at 4-all and 6-all going to the final canto.

Gomez, the top player of Perry Mariano’s Bugsy Promotions, seemed poised to win the 13th racks but failed to sink the no. 9 ball, allowing Chang to clean up the table and taste his first lead.

“Turning point ‘yung pagsablay ko sa 9-ball kaya nakalamang sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon si Chang,” said Gomez. “Bagama’t nabigyan pa ako ng pagkakataon makabalik pa sa mesa kasi sumama na ang tira ko at nagkaroon naman ng momentum si Chang.”

Chang, a former Guinness Asian 9-ball overall champion, didn’t waste time winning the next two racks to end the Filipinos’ impressive performance in this series.

Chang pocketed the top purse of $5,000 while Gomez got $2,500.

Future matches of the PBB Face Off Series will pit Chang vs. Carlo “The Black Tiger” Biado on Dec. 23 and Wu Chia Ching of China vs. Efren “Bata” Reyes on Dec. 30. /correspondent MARLON BERNARDINO