Efren "Bata" Reyes defeated Filipino-Canadian Alex Pagulayan, 13-12, to become this year's champion of the On Cue 3 billiards tournament at the Trade Hall of Robinsons Galleria Tuesday.
Pagulayan scratched on rack 18, which gave Reyes the opportunity to even the game, 9-9. He then took the lead, 10-9, with rack 19 all the way to victory.
"I knew when I scratched that I would lose," Pagulayan said.
He added: "I've always dreamed of beating Reyes in a (tournament) final here in the Philippines. I think that's the dream of every Filipino pool player but today, that didn't happen.'
The soft-spoken Reyes, on the other hand, was all praises for Pagulayan, this year's reigning world pool champion.
"Pagulayan plays smart, he's always putting the ball where there is nothing blocking it."
Reyes pocketed $20,000 while Pagulayan won $10,000. Filipino Django Bustamante and 15-year-old Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan went home with $5,000 each.
Pagulayan scratched on rack 18, which gave Reyes the opportunity to even the game, 9-9. He then took the lead, 10-9, with rack 19 all the way to victory.
"I knew when I scratched that I would lose," Pagulayan said.
He added: "I've always dreamed of beating Reyes in a (tournament) final here in the Philippines. I think that's the dream of every Filipino pool player but today, that didn't happen.'
The soft-spoken Reyes, on the other hand, was all praises for Pagulayan, this year's reigning world pool champion.
"Pagulayan plays smart, he's always putting the ball where there is nothing blocking it."
Reyes pocketed $20,000 while Pagulayan won $10,000. Filipino Django Bustamante and 15-year-old Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan went home with $5,000 each.
