INQUIRER Sports

CAN EFREN “BATA” REYES still pull off a Houdini act?

His legion of fans remain hopeful that the Filipino pool icon can crawl out of a deep hole and turn back Taiwanese legend Chao Fong-pang in the last segment of their Face Off Series 2: The Grandmasters duel Thursday night at Club Capo Exclusive on Tomas Morato in Quezon City.

Firing blanks on the break several times, Reyes trailed the deadly Chao, 18-25, Wednesday night at the start of their race-to-50 nine-ball showdown for $10,000.

“I couldn’t get the right break and he is playing almost flawless, that’s why he is ahead,” said Reyes, who was tagged the slight favorite in the pay-per-view event presented by Club Capo in cooperation with Bugsy Promotions and JBET.net, and supported by Nuvo City, Outlast Battery, Puyat Sports and Negros Billiards Stable.

“It’s still a long way to go, and I’m still positive that I can find the right stroke and overcome his lead.”

The 55-year-old Reyes came into the showdown boasting a string of three major titles.

After he knotted the count for the last time at 14, Chao found his mark and took the next four racks.

Reyes persevered to take the next two frames, but fellow two-time world champion Chao swept the next six racks for the match’s biggest spread, 24-16.

After watching Reyes pocket the next two racks, Chang closed out the first half of their showdown and inched closer toward duplicating compatriot Yang Ching-shun’s 50-45 conquest of Dennis Orcollo in the series opener in September.

“I also made a couple of mistakes, but I was lucky, he couldn’t make a good break,” said Chao.