Reyes rallies past Canadian champ in Baguio tilt

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Efren “Bata” Reyes’ old cue stick can still wield tremendous magic.

Unruffled by a cold and shaky start, the Filipino pool maestro thwarted Canadian Gerry Watson, 9-4, yesterday to lead opening round winners in The Manny Villar Cup Panagbenga leg before a huge crowd at the Events Center of SM City Baguio.

The 54-year-old billiards Hall of Famer made a couple of unforced errors in each of the first four racks, allowing Watson, one of two wildcard bets here to surge ahead, 3-1.

Egged on by his throng of fans, however, Reyes dipped into his pocket of tricks to record another escape act that buttressed his worldwide reputation as the sport’s incomparable “Magician.”

A two-time world champion, Reyes ran out the fifth rack and went on to take the next four to seize control, 6-3, and chalk the victory that put him in line for the P300,000 top purse.

“It is cold here that’s why it took me a while to warm up and find my shots,” said Reyes in Filipino. “But Watson is really good and he gave me some trouble. Fortunately, I found my touch midway of the match.”

Watson, a three-time national champion back home, halted Reyes’ onslaught by claiming the 10th rack, only to yield when the charismatic billiards icon again waxed hot.

Former Asian Games champion Gandy Valle also advanced to the second round with a 9-5 victory over qualifier Emil Martinez, 9-5.

Valle breezed to a 4-0 start but Martinez fought back to knot the count at 4-4. Banking on his experience, Valle sealed the match by taking five of the next six racks as he boosted his chances of duplicating his triumph in last year’s Cebu leg of the island-hopping series presented by Senator Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports and supported by Camella Communities.

The former Asian Games gold medalist raced to a 4-0 lead but Martinez managed to tie the count at 4-all, forcing him to utilize his experience to the hilt to score the win.

Other early first round results saw former two-time World Juniors campaigner Rene Mar David thumping Russian Petiza, 9-3 and Egie Geronimo upending Joven Bustamante, 9-5.

A simple opening ceremony, graced by Senator Villar along with Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. and Benguet governor Nestor Fongwan, ushered the start of the competition. There, Villar reiterated his all out support to the sport “where we, Filipinos, are on top of the world.”

The Villar Cup Panagbenga leg is part of the city’s month-long flower festival.

Billiards Events Set for Vegas

World Pool Masters and International 10-Ball Championships Set to Rock the Riviera.

The BCA Pool League is proud to announce the return of two of the most prestigious professional events to the Riviera Hotel and Casino May 2009. The 17th Party Poker.net World Pool Masters and the 9th Annual Predator 10-Ball Championship will be in the Royale Pavilion once again along side the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships.

The World Pool Masters, one of the most revered invitational events with a limited field of 16 players is produced by Matchroom Sport and will take center stage first at the Royale Pavilion May 8-10. A large supplier of sports programming worldwide, Matchroom Sport also produces other well regarded events such as the Mosconi Cup and the World Cup of Pool in addition to Darts, Fishing, Pokes, Snooker, Boxing, Tenpin and Bowls.

Equally exciting, the Predator 10-Ball Championship produced by Dragon Promotions will move into the pavilion May 11-16. The tournament boasts a roster of the top pool talent from across the globe. Last year’s winner Tony Drago of Malta, considered one of the fastest players in the world, will have an opportunity to defend his 2008 title. Once again he will have to face players such as Shane Van Boening, Mika Immonen, Johnny Archer, Francisco Bustamante, John Schmidt, Efren Reyes and the 2008 World Pool Masters winner Alex Pagulayan just to name a few of the illustrious names who will be in attendance. Watch for links on the BCA Pool League web site at Playbca.com for more information and tickets to the professional events. For more information about Matchroom Sport and the World Pool Masters please visit Matchroomsport.com and for the Predator 10-Ball Championship visit Dragonpromotions.com.
CueSports International (CSI) … more choices for players
of all abilities –

BCA Pool League (BCAPL), playBCA.com, National
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Bar Table Championships.

World Pool Masters and International 10-Ball Championships Set to Rock the Riviera

The BCA Pool League is proud to announce the return of two of the most prestigious professional events to the Riviera Hotel and Casino May 2009. The 17th Party Poker.net World Pool Masters and the 9th Annual Predator 10-Ball Championship will be in the Royale Pavilion once again along side the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships.

The World Pool Masters, one of the most revered invitational events with a limited field of 16 players is produced by Matchroom Sport and will take center stage first at the Royale Pavilion May 8-10. A large supplier of sports programming worldwide, Matchroom Sport also produces other well regarded events such as the Mosconi Cup and the World Cup of Pool in addition to Darts, Fishing, Pokes, Snooker, Boxing, Tenpin and Bowls.

Equally exciting, the Predator 10-Ball Championship produced by Dragon Promotions will move into the pavilion May 11-16. The tournament boasts a roster of the top pool talent from across the globe. Last year’s winner Tony Drago of Malta, considered one of the fastest players in the world, will have an opportunity to defend his 2008 title. Once again he will have to face players such as Shane Van Boening, Mika Immonen, Johnny Archer, Francisco Bustamante, John Schmidt, Efren Reyes and the 2008 World Pool Masters winner Alex Pagulayan just to name a few of the illustrious names who will be in attendance.

Reyes-Bustamante in WC of Pool

MANILA, Philippines—Buddies Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante are likely to resume their partnership when the World Cup of Pool is held in the country on Sept. 1-6.

Reyes and Bustamante won the event’s initial staging in 2006, but were beaten by the Chinese tandem of Li He-wen and Fu Jianbo in the quarterfinals of the 2007 edition. Li and Fu went on to win the title.

Ronnie Alcano and Dennis Orcollo represented the Philippines last year, reaching the semifinals where they were beaten by Americans end eventual champions Rodney Morris and Shane Van Boening.

Eddie Hearn of the organizing Matchroom Sports said on Wednesday that Reyes-Bustamante representing the Philippines is highly probable.

A total cash prize of $250,000 is up for grabs in the World Cup, featuring 32 teams from 31 nations, including the United States, Taiwan, England and Germany.

Matchroom Sports has tapped Solar Sports as broadcast partner for this tournament which allows two teams for the host nation.

 

Roy Luarca, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Reyes, Pagulayan to lead RP team in Japan tourney

MANILA – Philippine billiard wizards led by former World Champions Efren "Bata" Reyes and Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan will head the Filipinos' campaign to the tough Japan Open 9-Ball Championship scheduled on March 21-22 in Tokyo, Japan.

Joining Reyes and Pagulayan is current Japan Champion Eduardo "Tisoy" Saracho, who has gained much confidence in his most recent victory in the land where he now considers home.

Hall of Famer Reyes of Pampanga, the former double world champion, is currently competing in the 2009 Derby City Classic in Louisville, Kentucky, according to a pool report from chess International Master Marlon Bernardino who accompanied the group to the US competition.

"I will do my very best for flag and country in the tough Japan Open, "said the Japan-based Saracho from Dumaguete City.

Other Filipinos competing are Warren Kiamco, Romy Vicente, Lee Vann Corteza, Danilo dela Cruz and Antonio "Nickoy" Lining.

 

PNA

Reyes, Pagulayan, Saracho Leads RP Contingent to Japan Open 9-Ball

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - Former World Champions Efren "Bata" Reyes, Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan and Japan Cup Champion Eduardo "Tisoy" Saracho leads a group of Filipino pool wizards to the tough Japan Open 9-ball slated on March 21 and 22 in Tokyo, Japan.

The hall of famer Reyes, the former double world champion is currently competing in the 2009 Derby City Classic in Louisville, Kentucky.

" I will do my very best for flag and country in the tough Japan Open, "said the Japan-based Saracho, who hails from Dumaguete City.

Other Filipinos competing are Warren Kiamco, Romy Vicente, Lee Vann Corteza, Danilo dela Cruz and Antonio "Nickoy" Lining.

RP rides Bata, Django victories to tie Int'l team in 9-ball showdown

MANILA, Philippines - It could have been a rabbit that was pulled off this magician's hat.

Efren "Bata" Reyes came to the country's rescue with an important win on Thursday that helped Team Philippines pull even with the International side in the QC Invasion: Quezon City-Philippines vs The World Grand "Villards" Showdown at the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.

Reyes, more popularly known as "the Magician", weaved his wand to take down Rodney Morris of the US 7-4.

The victory leveled the Ryder Cup-style tournament to six wins each for the locals and the foreigners.

Earlier, Francisco "Django" Bustamante escaped with a 7-6 cliffhanger over Raj Hundal of India, just after Warren Kiamco lost 7-4 to Thorsten Hohmann of Germany.

With a stalemate after 12 matches, the first side that gets to nine wins will take home the championship purse worth $40,000 (P1.96 million).

The next matches will be between Roberto Gomez versus Yang Ching-shun of Chinese-Taipei; a team event pitting Bustamante, Gomez Alex Pagulayan and Dennis Orcollo versus the quartet of Hundal, Yang, Mike Immonen of Finland and Wu Chia-Ching of Chinese-Taipei; and a singles match between Orcollo and Charlie Williams of the US.

If the showdown isn't decided after the Orcollo-Williams face-off, the next matches will feature another team duel between the group of Reyes, Kiamco, Ronnie Alcano and Lee Van Corteza and the foursome of Hohmann, Morris, Williams, and Fu Jianbo of China.

If the score is tied at 8, a team event will decide the winner, with the RP side represented by Alcano, Gomez, Kiamco and Pagulayan taking on Hundal, Morris, Williams and Wu.

 

- GMANews.TV