Pinoy Mazon finishes second in China 9-ball

FILIPINO Jundel “Janno” Mazon made some of his trademark shots but settled for a runner-up finish behind former World Pool Champion Chao Fong Pao at the conclusion of the 2011 China 9-Ball Invitational Championships at the Best Bet Maccaline Plaza in Hefei City, Anhui Province in Eastern China, over the weekend.

Mazon, whose stint here is backed up by Energen and Kopiko, found Chao too hot to handle as the hometown bet came through with tough shots of his own after winning the lag on the way to posting an 11-8 win that earned him the $16,000 winner’s prize. Mazon settled for the runner-up prize of $8,000.

According to NBS head coach Christopher “Toper” Palses, Chao immediately took a 4-1 lead and padded it to 9-4.

Mazon, a former Guinness World Series of Pool Champion, bounced back winning four of the five racks to cut the lead to 10-8 count before Chao finished the game in the 19th rack.

Despite the loss, Mazon remained the best Filipino finisher in the said event.

Among his victims were Chan Du Long of China, 9-3, in the Last 32, Gou Hua of China, 9-5, in the Last 16, Yang Chin-shun of Chinese-Taipei, 11-9, in the Last 8 and countryman Lee Vann “The Slayer” Corteza, 11-10, in the Last 4.

Aside from Mazon and Corteza, other Filipino cue masters who saw action were hall of famer Efren “Bata” Reyes, Warren “Warrior” Kiamco, Antonio “Nickoy” Lining and Panfilo “Lintok” Damuag.  /correspondent MARLON BERNARDINO