Reyes leads cast vs best of the rest

Efren “Bata” Reyes leads the country’s stand against a strong pack of visiting international cue artists in the Q.C. Invasion: Quezon City-Philippines vs the World Grand VILLARDS Showdown, which starts today at the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.

With the Philippines’ reputation as the world’s billiards superpower on the line, the 54-year-old pool icon is expected to once again give his best and steer the home team to triumph in this much-anticipated event presented by Sen. Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports, and the Quezon City government led by Mayor Sonny Belmonte.

Reyes will be joined by fellow former world champion Alex Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano, reigning world no.1 Dennis Orcollo, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Roberto Gomez, Lee Van Corteza and Warren Kiamco in protecting the country’s tag as the “epicenter of pool” in this three-day competition sponsored by Camella Communities and also supported by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) with Solar Sports, RPN-9, The Philippine STAR and BusinessMirror as media partners.

The star-studded Team Quezon City-Philippines will have its hands full against the Team World, which also has three former world titlists with the rest of the squad composed of multi-titled veteran internationalists.

Former world champions Mika Immonen of Finland, Thorsten Hohmann of Germany and Wu Chia-ching of Chinese-Taipei banner the visiting forces, which also have reigning World Cup of Pool titleholder Rodney Morris and Charlie Williams of the United States, newly-crowned Guinness 9-Ball Tour grand champion Yang Ching-shun of Chinese-Taipei, Raj Hundal of England and Fu Jianbo of China in the fold.

The two squads will figure in singles, doubles and team events similar to that of the famed Mosconi Cup with the winner receiving $40,000 cash prize.