Efren 'Bata' Reyes targets Villar Cup title

Billiard legend Efren "Bata" Reyes is targeting the top prize at the Bacolod leg of the Senate President Manny Villar Cup when it kicks off on November 13 at the Garden Royal Function Hall of Goldenfields Commercial Complex in Bacolod City.

A report posted on AzBilliards.com said Reyes is on the prowl for another title since winning the Derby City Classic in Louisville, Kentucky in January 2007.

The closest he got at winning a title this year was in the inaugural staging of the Villar Cup in Alabang last May, when he lost his finals match up to Warren Kiamco.

Reyes also failed to get past the quarterfinals in the next three legs of the tournament.

In his attempt to end his title drought at Villar Cup’s fifth leg, Reyes will not only have to face a formidable challenge from his fellow Filipino pool players, but he will also have to contend with a troop of top-notch foreign talents.

The foreign delegates will be led by newly-crowned Guinness 9-Ball Tour Grand champion Ching-Shun Yang of Chinese-Taipei as they shoot for the title and the $15,000 top prize.

Besides Yang, other international players participating in the event are former world champion Wu Chia-Ching, Hung-hsiang Wang and Jung-Lin Chang of Chinese-Taipei, China topranked player Jianbo Fu, veteran internationalist Marcus Chamat of Sweden and Christian Johannessen of the Netherlands.

Joining Reyes in leading the local players are fellow former world titlists Alex Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano, along with reigning world no.1 Dennis Orcollo, Francisco "Django" Bustamante, Lee Van Corteza, and previous Villar Cup leg winners Kiamco (Alabang), Gandy Valle (Cebu), Ramil Gallego (Bulacan) and Roberto Gomez (Davao).