Bata remains in control vs US foe

A one-day break didn’t cool off Efren "Bata" Reyes as the Filipino cue artist took a comfortable 22-16 lead over American counterpart Earl "The Pearl" Strickland after the second session of their $20,000, race-to-33 showdown yesterday afternoon at the Casino Filipino in Parañaque.

Reyes, who won the opening race-to-11 contest Thursday night, 11-7, was as convincing in the second race-to-11 contest which he took at 11-9 to carry a six-game lead heading into the conclusion of their gruelling battle late last night.

"Kahit na lamang ako depende pa rin sa breaks ng mga susunod na laro. Mukhang magtatagal ito," said Reyes. The winner wins $15,000 while the loser gets $5,000.

Like Thursday, Reyes and Strickland, considered the best ever to play the sports, split their first four games before the Filipino took control, winning seven of the next 11 games for a 9-6 lead and an overall margin of 22-13.

But Strickland, a two-time world nine-ball champion and five-time winner of the US Open, put up a fight, winning the next three games to tie the count at 9-9. He came close to winning a fourth straight game but missed on the eighth ball which rattled off and lay on the mouth of the right corner pocket.

Reyes, the 1999 world champion and the first and only Asian to win the US Open in 1994, pounced on the opportunity to take a 10-9 lead. Strickland took the next break under the loser’s break format and sank the 1, 3, 5 balls, then converted on the 2 but missed on the 4, allowing Reyes to clear the table for his second race-to-11 win.

After Reyes posted the 22-16 lead, the two players took a needed rest but the crowd stayed glued on their seats to watch a couple of exhibition games among guest-players and a trick shots exhibition by Strickland.

Basketball superstars Kenneth Duremdes and Glen Capacio were locked in a tight race-to-seven battle as of presstime while female players Ces Marquez and Angeline Halili were scheduled to play a race-to-five.