The Negros Occidental Pillars have officially claimed the Sharks Billiards Association (SBA) Season 2 Championship, defeating the Manila MSW Mavericks in a thrilling finals series that showcased the very best of Philippine professional billiards.
Composed of Drahcir Mauricio, Jolo Aspuria, Jonald Galve, Ryan Mark Hidalgo, Raymart Camomot, and Dean Mark Castronuevo, and led by Coach Jonathan Sanchez, the Pillars capped off a remarkable season with a hard-fought victory over the Mavericks in a championship showdown that stretched to Game 4 of the best-of-five series.
As the league’s top-seeded team, Negros Occidental demonstrated the qualities that made them the benchmark throughout Season 2. From opening day to the championship round, the Pillars consistently displayed discipline, composure, and execution under pressure, establishing themselves as the standard of excellence in the SBA.
Their championship run was highlighted by the outstanding performance of Drahcir Mauricio, who was named SBA Season 2 Finals MVP after delivering clutch performances and maintaining his composure in the most crucial moments of the series.
“From the very beginning, I trusted my players, and they trusted me,” said Coach Jonathan Sanchez. “On paper, we may not have been the strongest roster in the league, but I kept telling them: trust the process, trust each other, and we’ll make it to the Finals. They bought into that belief every single day.”
The Manila MSW Mavericks proved to be worthy challengers, pushing the series into several tense and closely contested racks that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Their resilience throughout the finals underscored the growing competitiveness and depth of talent within the SBA.
For SBA Founder and CEO Hadley Mariano, the championship series served as another reminder of the world-class talent present in Philippine billiards.
“The level of play we witnessed throughout the Finals was simply exceptional,” Mariano said. “Congratulations to the Negros Occidental Pillars for a championship they truly earned, and to the Manila MSW Mavericks for a tremendous fight. More importantly, both teams showed the entire country the caliber of talent that exists in Philippine billiards today.”
“Season 2 highlighted the incredible depth of talent in Philippine billiards,” added SBA co-founder and CFO George Ho. “The Finals showed what is possible when talented players are given the right platform to compete and grow. We believe there are many more players across the country waiting for their opportunity, and that’s exactly what SBA Next aims to provide.”
With the conclusion of Season 2, the SBA now shifts its focus to SBA Next, the league’s grassroots and talent development initiative. Designed to identify and nurture emerging billiards talent from across the country, SBA Next serves as the pathway for future players aspiring to reach the professional ranks and compete in future SBA seasons.*Marlon Bernardino
