"BATA" REYES FACES KO IN PBB SATURDAY
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 17 Feb 2012
MANILA, Philippines -- FILIPINO pool wizard Efren "Bata" Reyes vows to go all out against two-time WPA World Junior Champion Ko Pin-yi of Taiwan as they clash tonight in the Philippine Bigtime Billiards (PBB) Face Off Series dubbed as the Philippines versus Asia at Pagcor Airport Casino in Para?aque City.
The race-to-9, 10-ball affair is set at 9 p.m. (Saturday, February 18) with Reyes hard-pressed to come up with a win against Ko in this event jointly organized by the Mega Sports World and BRKHRD Corp and aired live over Solar Sports, Sky Channel 70 and Destiny Channel 34, and also aired worldwide through the Internet, live streaming at www.megasportsworld.com and www.philippinebigtimebilliards.com.
Sports Betting at MegaSportsWorld favored Ko against Reyes as of Friday. A $1-bet on Ko would win $1.60. A $1-bet on Reyes would win $2.10.
?It?s anybody?s ball game,? said the 1999 WPA World 9-ball Champion and 2004 WPA World 8-Ball Champion Reyes, playing under the banner of top player of sportsman/businessman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat, the acknowledged Godfather of Philippine billiard.
Known as the first Asian to be inducted to the Billiards Hall of Fame, the 57-year-old Reyes defeated fellow two-time world champion Wu Jia Qiang (formerly Wu Chia-ching from Chinese-Taipei), 9-6, in the Philippine Bigtime Billiards (PBB) Face Off Series last December 30.
The PBB Face Off is a joint undertaking of Mega Sports World and BRKHRD Corp., and organized in cooperation with Sorsogon Province Sports Patron Philip Escudero of Malungai Life Oil, brother of Senator Chiz Escudero, Diamond Billiard table, Hermes Sports Bar, I-Bar, Golden Leaf Restaurant, Bugsy Promotions, Mandarin Sky Sea Food Restaurant, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Hotel Sogo, Eurotel Hotel with The Philippine Star as official media partner.
Future matches of the PBB Face Off Series will pit Ko versus Francisco "Django" Bustamante on Feb.25.
According to Verna Mariano of BRKHRD Corp and Bugsy Promotions, the Philippine Bigtime Billiards introduces a fresh new format for 2012.
"The events will maintain the one-on one match format every week but each season will be composed of 17 weeks. A year is effectively divided into three seasons. In each season, players will be determined by their team affiliation. In a format similar to the Davis Cup in Tennis, the Ryder Cup in Golf or the Mosconi Cup in Pool, two national or continental teams will compete per season." she said.
"National or continental teams will be composed of but not restricted to 7-10 players which must carry the nation or continent?s flag in international competitions. Players for each team need not be determined or restricted to particular individuals to avoid the possibility of having no players available during times when there are International Professional events taking place. Each win in the one-on-one events every Saturday gives a team a point. At the end of 17 weeks, the team with the most points wins."
The Philippine Team is composed of Reyes, Bustamante, Dennis Orcollo, Ronato Alcano, Carlo Biado, Lee Vann Corteza, Alex Pagulayan and Antonio Lining.
The Asian Team comprised of Ko, Chang Jung-lin, Yang Ching-shun, Chao Fong Pang and Chang Yu Long.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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