Buyco-Alqueza tandem tops SUGBU doubles bowling tilt

GJ Buyco and Heber Alqueza. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — It was the young keglers’ turn to shine in the Sugbuanon Bowlers United (SUGBU) doubles event last Sunday, June 9, at the SM Seaside City Cebu Bowling Center.

GJ Buyco and Heber Alqueza emerged as the champion pair, outperforming older and seasoned tandems who usually topped the tournament.

Both elite bowlers, Buyco and Alqueza finished the four-game doubles event with a total of 1,706 pinfalls. They impressively scored 400 plus pinfalls throughout their campaign to secure the title. They scored 466 pinfalls in the second round which served as their highest output in the tournament.

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Their win wasn’t a huge surprise at all as both Buyco and Alqueza already donned the country’s tri-colors in international tournaments. Buyco once competed for the Philippines in the U22 World  Youth Championships a decade ago in the United States, while Alqueza vied in the Asian Schools Championships in Indonesia and Singapore.

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Placing second in last Sunday’s tournament was former Philippine team member Jomar Jumapao and his partner Arthur Tapaya.

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Jumapao, one of the best-known Cebuano keglers being a World Cup competitor in his heydays, tandemed with Tapaya to place second with a total of 1,676 pinfalls.

Rounding off the top three pairs in the tournament were former weekly champions Manny Bueno and Nestor Ranido who scored 1,512 pinfalls.

The fourth and fifth places went to Dory Enoveso and Orly Enoveso and SUGBU president Edgar Alqueza and Aui Padawan.

The sixth to 10th placers of the tournament were Tessie Dante and Dodong Dante (1,447), Vivian Padawan and Rene Ceniza (1,445), Johna Calipay and Robert Sarvida (1,443), Geff Buyco and Chris Ramil (1,441), and Mel Fines and Luke Bolongan (1,440), respectively.