Who’ll win World Cup of Pool?
NOW the strongest tandem in the World Cup of Pool—with two victories to their credit since the tournament was launched in 2006—International Billiards Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes and 2010 World Pool 9-Ball champion Francisco “Django” Bustamante are tipped to score their third victory at Robinson’s Place Midtown in Manila on Sept. 7 to 12.
In 2009, the Bata-Django duo came from behind to nose out former world champions Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmnann of Germany, 11-9, before a banner crowd at the SM North Edsa annex in Quezon City. In the inaugural World Cup tourney in 2006, Reyes and Bustamante defeated Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris of the United States at Newport, England.
If Bata and Django win again this year, their status as one of the best—if not the greatest pool pair in contemporary billiards history—is secured. But in order to do so, the 56-year-old Reyes and Bustamante, 47, must hurdle some of the planet’s top-rated tandems such as Daryl Peach and Karl Boyes of England and Germany’s Souquet and Oliver Ortmann, once described by sportsman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat as playing “efficiently and smoothly like German cars.”
The second Philippine team in this world-class championship will be made up by former No. 1 ranked pool player Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo and Roberto “Pinoy Superman” Gomez, according to the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines. BMPAP added that as host country, the Philippines is allowed to field two teams in the blue-ribbon event held annually under the aegis of Matchroom Sport.
Said Matchroom chair Barry Hearn: “We are delighted to be returning to the Philippines after having enjoyed last year one of the greatest tournaments we have ever promoted.”
Hearn also stressed that “Solar Sports (TV) did a fantastic job bringing all the drama and excitement of the tournament to the screen and the large, enthusiastic crowds created an atmosphere unlike any I have ever seen at a pool tournament.”
On his partnership with Bustamante, who, like him, has also been enshrined in the Hall of Fame, Reyes said: “The key is really listening to your teammate.” However, it is very difficult to make a prediction in this kind of tournament, added Reyes, who celebrated his 56th birthday last Aug. 26.
The annual $250,000 tournament, which stakes $60,000 in first prize money, pits the world’s best 32 teams from 31 countries, among them billiards superpowers US, China, Germany, Finland, England, Sweden, Chinese-Taipei, Holland, Italy, Malta, Russia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
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SPORTS NOTES: A mainstay of Puyat Sports, Efren “Bata” Reyes has numerous awards and citations in his cap. Among them, the Presidential Legion of Honor, induction to the Hall of Fame, Athlete or co-Athlete of Year (three times) by the Philippine Sportswriters Association, voted in 2006 by Time Magazine as one of the 60 Asian heroes in the last 60 years alongside Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Dalai Lama and our very own the late President Cory Aquino, Inquirer founder Eugenia Apostol and PDI editor-in-chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc….The PBA’s Philippine Cup gets going at the Big Dome on Oct. 3, with the newly crowned Fiesta Conference champion Alaska Aces gunning for a back-to-back championship. Can coach Tim Cone do it?
“Yes he can,” said Darius Diaz, a diehard fan of the Aces. Beaming with enthusiasm, Diaz was all praise for the coaching wizardry of Mr. Cone, and the brilliant performance of veteran LA Tenorio, new recruit Cyrus Baguio and the high-impact play of import Diamon Simpson.
“Yes he can,” said Darius Diaz, a diehard fan of the Aces. Beaming with enthusiasm, Diaz was all praise for the coaching wizardry of Mr. Cone, and the brilliant performance of veteran LA Tenorio, new recruit Cyrus Baguio and the high-impact play of import Diamon Simpson.
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