Efren 'Bata' Reyes who is currently ranked No. 1 on the San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour will lead a new-look Philippine pool squad in the third leg of the tour which opens in Southern Taiwan's largest city Kaohsiung against a formidable hometown team anchored by 2000 World Pool Champion Fong Pang Chao, the 'Son of Pool' Ching-Shun Yang and teenage sensation Chia-Ching Wu, this weekend.
Joining Reyes, winner of the second leg in Jakarta, will be longtime buddy Francisco 'Django' Bustamante who is ranked No. 6 but is coming off a big win in the A Mild International Championship in Bali and opening leg winner Gandy Valle who stunned Ching-Shun Yang 11-8 in the finals in Singapore. Also joining the Philippine Team are veteran Leonardo 'Dodong' Andam, former Joss NE Tour 'Rookie of the Year' Ronnie Alcano and Christopher Bombita who made the team through a qualifying tournament held earlier in Manila.
Reyes, last year's leading money winner on the international circuit is also showing the way in the San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour with prize money of $11,750 which is the same amount won by Valle. Reyes and Valle top the standings going into Kaohsiung which is Taiwan's biggest port city, bustling with commercial energy and nightlife and the site for this year's World Pool Championship in July.
Reyes who scraped through the early rounds in Jakarta with 9-8 cliffhangers over Robby Surly of Indonesia and Kunihiko Takahashi of Japan went on to master three Taiwanese hotshots in succession beating Po Cheng Kuo 9-8, Chia_Ching Wuin a nerve-wracking, come-from-behind semi final 12-10 and before overcoming Ching-Shun Yang fairly comfortably in the finals 11-6 and is once again expected to pose the biggest challenge to the Taiwanese hotshots on their homeground.
