12 pairs clinch playoff berths

Jerry Hibi, seen here going for a shot in Week 3 of the Sun Palace badminton tournament at the TSL Sports Complex, advanced to the playoffs of the men?s A singles. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

The semis cast in the three men’s doubles events in the Sun Palace Hotel Singles and Doubles Badminton Competition 2014 is now complete after preliminary matches concluded over the weekend at the TSL Sports Complex.
In the men’s A doubles, Andreau Galvez and Jexler Caranto and Macoi Aguda and Aries Cordero took the two semis berths in Group 1 after earning 4-0 and 3-1 records, respectively. In Group 2, the qualifiers are Glenn Bluutjens and Sam Jones (4-0) and youth players Ezekiel Macario and Jordan Pangilinan (2-2). The Final Four pairings will be played this weekend with Galvez and Caranto battling Pangilinan and Macario and Jones and Bluutjens challenging Aguda and Cordero.

In the men’s B doubles, which has only one group, top finishers Deether Edralin and J.P. Nopia led the list of semifinalists. They had a 3-1 record, winning the tiebreak against fellow semifinalists Cordero and Chris Hilario and Young Sang Yu and Jong Min Lee. Rounding out the Top 4 is the tandem of Jojo Savellano and Narlou Achas.

In the men’s C doubles, Han Cheoul Yu and Ji Min Lee were alone at the top spot to clinch the first semis berth and arrange a Final Four showdown against the fourth-ranked duo of Allan Sangyoon Lee and J. Kim. Yu and Ji Min Lee earned a perfect record in the round-robin, five-team field, while Sangyon Lee and Kim saved one win in four games to catch the last trip to the playoff round. The other semis pairing will have Jeremi Montenejo and John Cano (3-1) squaring off against A.J. Ortega and partner (2-2).

In the singles division, Classes B and C have completed the Final Four list, while knockouts games will still be played this week to determine the qualifiers in Class A.
Macario booked the first semis ticket in Class B, as he recorded a 3-1 mark and won the tiebreak against Edralin. Joining the two in the playoffs are the third-ranked Nopia (2-2), and fourth finisher Yu (2-2).

In Class C, which was divided into two pools, Montenejo and Cano bagged the semis berths in Group 1 for drilling 2-2 and 1-3 marks, respectively, while Ortega (4-0) and Sangyoon Lee (3-1) qualified in Group 2.

In Class A, Galvez and Caranto secured the two semis spots in Group 2, while Jerry Hibi nabbed a Final Four seat in Group 1. Galvez was unbeaten in four games in his pool, while Caranto registered a 3-1 record. Hibi prevailed in a four-way tie for first place in Group 1 to get out of the woods. He had a 2-2 record to tie Gary Bandoja, Edralin, and Pangilinan. Bandoja and Pangilinan will slug it out for the first knockout game with the winner meeting Edralin for the fourth and last semis ticket.

Meanwhile, qualifiers in the women’s singles and doubles will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Friday edition.