Bata, Valle lead early winners

MANILA, Philippines – Efren “Bata” Reyes and Gandy Valle dominated their respective rivals to lead the opening round winners in the Manny Villar Cup Isabela leg which got under way yesterday at the La Sallette High School Gymnasium in Santiago City, Isabela.

Reyes demolished Jharome Peña, 9-2, to open his bid for a first championship in the island-hopping series presented by Sen. Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports.

The top-seeded Valle, winner of the Cebu leg last year, disposed of local qualifier Joseph Calata, 9-4, to advance to the second round of the three-day event co-organized by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines, sponsored by Camella Communities, and sanctioned by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.

“I had a good start so I took advantage of it,” said Reyes, whose best finish in six Villar Cup appearances was second in Alabang.

The 54-year-old pool icon took the lag and the first three racks to wrest control with Peña halting the fancied bet’s charge by winning the fourth frame, only to yield six of the next seven racks.

“I hope to sustain my form because I really prepared hard for this tournament,” said Reyes.

Valle also had an easy outing against Calata, racing to a 7-1 lead en route to the one-sided victory.

Joining Reyes and Valle in the Last 16 were Carlo Biado and Elmer Haya.

Biado, a rising star from La Union, defeated Manila qualifier Jomel Sultan, 9-6, while Haya, a veteran campaigner from Zamboanga, outlast last year’s Search for the New Billiards Idol grand winner Mike Takayama, 9-7.

“We are staging this Villar Cup to discover more Reyeses, Alcanos, Pagulayans and Orcollos, apart from promoting the sport that suits us Filipinos,” said Villar, who graced the opening rites with Santiago City Mayor Amy Navarro.