2 displayed solid teamwork and indisputably saved their best game for the anticipated finals against Afico Azintados in bagging the championship and the BAI (Brua Aluminum Industry) Four (4) Man Team Darts Cup here last week. Prior to their championship match against Afico Azintados, Striker-2 easily defended their no.2 spot in the ladder by trouncing their sister team Striker-1 with the score of 9-2. The match did not even need the four-man team plays since the game was over after the triple team event with the required 8-must points already achieved and even surpassed by their winning score of 9. Only Arnold Ramos & fast improving Rey Sanchez provided Striker-1's measly points winning their respective matches in the bottom singles the rest was Striker-2 all the way with Gerone Bola?os and Frank Casoco leading the offensive. Earlier Striker-1 stopped the surging Stray Warriors Team-2 (11-4) dowsing any hope of the Warriors' higher placing other than 3rd runner-up finish. The final match between the highly favored Afico Azintados and Striker-2 started on a high note for the former as Azintados 1-2 punch delivered early on, Gary Terso defeated Casoco while Ronald Galvan edge out Gerone Bola?os for the early lead. However Striker's Edgar Ramos and Roland Bi?as equalized with wins against Nonoy Coraza and Pong de Dios respectively. Then came the first doubles pitting Azintados' highly touted pair of Terso & Doms Adalig versus the formidable duo of Bola?os & Bi?as, Azintados' duo produced big numbers at the start and built a commanding lead that only went to waste as they couldn't finish the match in five consecutive tries until Strikers finally caught them with Bola?os hitting the winning shot on the double-20 (D20). With that seemingly unbelievable win many believed it was the turning point of the game as the inspired pair of Casoco & Ramos clobbered Galvan & De Dios in the next doubles. And then preventing it from going to the four-man team plays, Strikers carried their momentum and completed with a come from behind win in the decisive triple team event and championship cup with the score of 9-2. Again Bola?os, who carried much of the load in the match, bail them out once again with his heart pounding shot on the D5 for the huge victory. Meanwhile Pampanga Darters' top gun Bernie Arciga lived up to his status as the current number 1 darter in the region by claiming the coveted Tournament MVP. Styled in a similar stepladder format wherein the top-16 players who finished with the best statistical points after double round-robin ranking stage knocked each others out in a best of three 501 match. Arciga (no.1) who topped the ranking defeated Bola?os (no.2) in the finals. Prior to their match-up, Arciga knocked-out Terso (no.5) in the upper bracket semifinal while Bola?os eliminated Dodong Salas (no.3) in the lower bracket. The awarding ceremony followed closely after the games and all winners took home valuable prizes, cash and trophies. Certificate of Appreciation was given to BAI's CEO-Engineer Wilson Brua for the tournament sponsorship who also graced the short program and assisted in handing over the prizes together with Al-Issa Souk's venue supervisor Mr. Rod Fajardo. Eastern Province Darters Association (EPDA) would like to acknowledge all the participants and look forward for the upcoming tournament this April. __
