Alcano new RP 15-ball rotation king

MANILA, Philippines - Ronnie Alcano kept his mastery of Efren “Bata” Reyes – at least in tournament play – as the challenger overcame the legend, 9-4, in their one-on-one 15-ball rotation match dubbed VILLARDS Challenge of the Legend: The Maestro versus The Volcano Friday at the jampacked Skydome of SM North EDSA in Quezon City.

Alcano took advantage of Reyes’s so-so game as the 37-year-old pride of Calamba, Laguna pulled away midway in the match to secure the win and the unofficial title of rotation king.

“I’m proud to have beaten my idol, especially in his game,” said Alcano, who also pocketed the P150,000 top prize at stake in this event presented by Sen. Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports and JBETpoker.net, in cooperation with the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines and Bugsy Promotions.

It was the first time Alcano and Reyes, who share the distinction as two of only four players to win both world 9-ball and world 8-ball titles, met in a tournament atmosphere since the former eliminated the latter in the Last 16 of the 2006 World Pool Championship.

Seeking revenge, Reyes actually got off to a good start, winning the lag and running out the opening rack – an unusual occurrence in rotation.

But Alcano immediately countered by outwitting Reyes in the second frame, and then followed it up by claiming the next three to go up 4-1.

Reyes managed to get close to within one, 5-4, but the man also known as the Magician failed to cope up with Alcano, who took the next four racks to close out the match and celebrate the feat witnessed by close to a thousand fans, including Sen. Manny Villar.

“I still consider him the best player in the world, at wala pa rin makakapantay kay Champ,” said Alcano. “Lahat kaming mga player ay itinuturing na napakalaking karangalan ang malaban at manalo sa kanya, pero alam naming hindi namin malalagpasan ang naabot n’ya.”

Reyes humbly accepted the defeat and hailed Alcano as one of the best pool players in the world today.

“Magaling naman talaga ‘yang si Ronnie, kaya nga Champ na rin ang tawag sa kanya dahil double world champion din s’ya at sa tingin ko madami pa s’ya title na makukuha,” said the 55-year-old pool icon from Angeles, Pampanga.

Sharing the limelight with Alcano were reigning Japan Open champion Ramil Gallego and former Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Lining, who won the JBETpoker.net Scotch Doubles All-Star Challenge, as well as rising-star Carlo Biadowho ruled the Sipag at Tiyaga-Search for the New Billiards Idol Special Edition, which served as the undercard of this two-day event sponsored by Camella Communities and supported by ABS-CBN, The Philippine STAR, Yamaha, Tanduay and the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.