WARREN KIAMCO FASHIONED OUT two come-from-behind victories, the last one at the expense of the legendary Efren “Bata” Reyes, 9-6, to capture the First Senate President Manny Villar Cup 9-ball billiards tournament last night at the Sportscenter of the Starmall Alabang.

Kiamco first rallied from a 2-4 deficit to trash Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle, 9-5, in the afternoon semifinals before playing catch-up again against Reyes, who raced to a 5-2 lead only to lose steam down the stretch.

The 38-year-old Kiamco, who swept the 9-ball and 8-ball crowns of the US Bar Table tournaments in Reno, Nevada last year, pocketed the P400,000 top purse.

After disposing of national champion Lee Van Corteza, 9-5, Reyes stormed to that 5-2 lead over Kiamco on the strength of two run-outs in racks 5 and 6.

But Reyes, who ruled the 1999 World 9-ball championship, hit a snag after an unproductive break in the 8th frame.

“Of course you still need some luck especially when you are competing against an excellent player like Reyes,” said Kiamco in Filipino.

Reyes beat Kiamco in the 1999 Brunei Southeast Asian Games for the rotation gold medal. They paired to capture the doubles gold in that event, but Reyes again asserted his mastery over Kiamco in the Singapore and Manila legs of the Asian 9-ball Tour of 2002.

But everything seemed to work last night for Kiamco, who forged ahead at 7-5 after winning five racks highlighted by a golden break.

“Hindi ko inisip na akin na, mahirap sabihin yun sa ganitong laban, (It never crossed my mind that I can win it, it’s very hard in this kind of competition),” added Kiamco, who had a dry break in the next rack.

Reyes went on to take the rack for 7-6 before Kiamco asked for a bathroom break.

But a dry break stopped Reyes in the 14th frame and Kiamco, a Cebu City native now residing in Quezon City, methodically took the next two frames.

Reyes settled for the P200,000 runner-up purse while Corteza and Valle picked up P50,000 each.