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Source: Gerry Carpio, philstar.com

-- With an elite 15-member team led by former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Django Bustmante, billiards president Bong Ilagan said he has hopes of winning at least five gold medals in the 25th Southeast Asian Games slated Dec. 9-18 in Vientiane, Laos.

Ilagan, the former Project: Gintong Alay executive director, said he is confident of a sweep of the 8-Ball and 9-Ball women’s singles through World 10-Ball doubles champion and former SEAG gold medalist Rubilen Amit and world beaters Mary Ann Basas and Iris Ranola.

The three other gold medals are expected from the 9-Ball doubles team of Reyes and Bustamante, 9-Ball singles players Dennis Orcollo and Ramil Gallego and 8-Ball singles bets Ronnie Alcano and Gandy Valle.

“We had predicted seven but our chances were down to five because of the lack of preparation of our snooker players,” said Ilagan, who took over the troubled Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines in February.

Despite the leadership crisis in the association, whose operations remain hampered by a temporary restraining order, Ilagan was able to assemble the country’s best bets for the billiards event.

However, the snooker team will miss top gold medal hopefuls Lee Van Corteza and Benjie Guevarra, who belong to the other faction.

“There’s also a chance we might end up with three because sometimes luck plays a factor,” said Reyes in Filipino.

Amit, who already snared three gold medals in the biennial, 11-nation meet, is a cinch to come out with golden efforts in 8-ball and 9-ball singles.

Basas and Ranola, who are world campaigners like Amit, are also participating in the two events since countries are allowed to field in a maximum of two entries per event.

“She’s really hitting her shots well, I hope she keeps it up in Laos. If it happens, we’ll have two in women’s billiards,” Reyes said of the pocket-sized but big-hearted Amit.

Amit, however, said anything is possible.

“There is really no sure thing but I will give it my all to win the gold for the country,” said Amit.