PBA fetes top bowlers of the 2007-2008 season

The Philippine Bowling Association celebrated its finest keglers during its 2007-2008 awards ceremony last Sunday at the Saipan Grand Hotel’s Club V.

Leading the awardees was PBA Bowler of the Year Rusty Musca who received his trophy from Saipan Bowling Association vice president Ador Dimaano.

Musca was the 13th and final qualifier of the Bowler of the Year Tournament but went on to win it all after beating veteran off-island campaigner Raymond Zapanta in the stepladder finals.

Finishing third behind Musca and Zapanta was Dannie Robles, while capping off the Top 5 in the 2008 Bowler of the Year were Nick Gutierrez and Efren Cacdac.

Also feted during Sunday’s awards ceremony were the winners of the 2008 Budweiser Classified Tournament.

Class A was won by Micronesian Brokers, Inc. general manager Kitz Barja, who overtook erstwhile leader Paul Pangelinan in the six-game roll-off. He then took the championship of the Classified’s marquee category after beating Simon Manacop in the finals, 202-183.

Allan Hernandez, for his part, topped Class B but not after getting a scare from up-and-coming youth bowler Raphael Zapanta.

Zapanta upset Hernandez in the first game of the finals, 176-145, but the latter came back in the second game, 182-143, to secure the championship.

In Class C, Ed Echavez clinched the title after beating Diana Chong in the second game of the championship, 158-135.

Budweiser Saturday League 38th season champion Chi/ken Tsayser also was awarded their hardware last Sunday with the entire team—all dressed in black T-shirts—accepting their team and individual trophies up on the Club V stage.

Chi/ken Tsayser took the Saturday League after finishing the 38th season with a 47-33 win-loss record, followed by SBC/J’s Restaurant and D’Jar in second and third place with marks of 45-35 and 42-38, respectively.

Philippine Consulate and Nila’s Salon, meanwhile, completed the Top 5 with their identical 42-38 win-loss slate.

Bowler of the Year monthly awardees Barja (January), Roman Borja (February), Art Macaspac (March), Pangelinan (April), Lito Teodoro (May), Eric Rabang (June), Robert Talavera (July), Raymond Angeles (August), Raul Dumapit (September), Raymond Zapanta (October), Richard Leong (November), and Norman Del Rosario (December) also were given their trophies during the awards ceremony.

Last but not the least, the top bowlers in the 2008 PBA No Tap Tournament were also honored last Sunday with Talavera leading the winners with his rolls of 279, 286, and 218.

He was followed in the standings by Raul Dumapit (266, 246, and 233), while third was Ben Aizon (266, 243, and 233). A No Tap Tournament gives a strike to a score of nine.