Filipino billiards players AJ Manas, Carlo Biado, and Francisco "Django" Bustamante. Handout/Cignal-One Sports
MANILA -- Team Asia retained the Reyes Cup in style, scoring a lopsided 11-3 victory over Team Rest of the World on Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Backed by an energetic crowd, the pair of two-time World Pool Champion Carlo Biado and teen prodigy AJ Manas brought it home for Team Asia in the doubles match.
They put away the duo of World No. 1 Feder Gorst and Moritz Neuhausen with a 5-2 result to keep the Reyes Cup title with Team Asia.
Biado said he was expecting Team Asia to get the job done early on the final day, but he's still glad they captured back-to-back titles.
READ: Team Asia on cusp of Reyes Cup title repeat
"Sobrang saya dahil sa pangalawang pagkakataon nakuha nanaman natin yung korona, yung Reyes Cup," he told reporters after the tournament.
(I'm so happy because we got to win the crown for the second time, the Reyes Cup.)
"Hindi ko in-expect na hahabol yung Team Rest of the World.. Pero masaya kami dahil nakuha natin yung huling laban at kaming dalawa ni AJ yung naglaro" Biado added.
(I didn't expect that Team Rest of the World would catch up to us... But we are happy because we won the final match and it was AJ and I that played for the team.)
Manas believes they were lucky to get the final rack, highlighted by his jump shot to put the two-ball to safety.
"Tingin ko pumabor lang sa amin eh. Kung para sa'yo talaga, tingin ko para sa atin eh," he said.
(I think everything aligned in our favor. If it's for you, I think it really was meant for us.)
Team Asia captain Francisco "Django" Bustamante credited his squad for their superb performance from the first day until the last match.
"Binwenas lang. Ang masasabi ko yung ibang team nung umpisa ninenenyerbos. So yun naman ang pagkakataon ng player ko. Sabi ko samantalahin namin habang pangit mga tira nila para makalamang," he said.
(We got lucky. All I can say is the other team was nervous at the start. So I saw it as a chance for my players. I told them to take advantage of their bad shots so we can get ahead.)
Aloysius Yapp kicked things off for Team Asia with a 5-1 victory over former US Open champion Jayson Shaw in their singles match.
READ: Familiarity key to success for Carlo Biado and Aloysius Yapp
The reigning US Open Champion got on the hill first after winning four straight racks, highlighted by a two-nine combo in rack four.
Shaw took advantage of a Yapp foul on two to get on the board, but the Singaporean finished the match in rack six.
Team Rest of the World’s Shaw and Skylar Woodward refused to quit, beating Yapp and Duong Quoc Hoang in the doubles match, 5-2.
The visitors capitalized on Team Asia's errors on break to pull ahead, 4-1. In rack seven, Shaw pocketed a three-nine combo to close the match.
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz added another point for Team Rest of the World, getting the best of Team Asia's Johann Chua in the 5-3 win.
FROM STARBOY TO MVP
Filipino billiards player AJ Manas. Handout/Cignal-One Sports
Teen prodigy Manas capped off his fairytale debut by being named 2025 Reyes Cup Most Valuable Player.
Manas said winning MVP is very special for him at this point of his career.
"This is my biggest achievement so far. Kasi hindi naman ako nakakalaro ng ganitong event eh. First time ko maglaro at ayun nakuha ko yung MVP. Hindi ako makapaniwala," he said.
(This is my biggest achievement so far. Because I don't usually get to play in these events. It's my first time to compete and I won MVP. I still can't believe it.)
"Buwenas tayo, nakuha natin yung MVP. Maganda yung nilaro natin. Tingin ko deserve ko naman," Manas added.
READ: Team Asia's youngest player AJ Manas raring to play in Reyes Cup
He thanked Bustamante for the huge trust in him and vowed to keep improving.
Biado, who teamed up with Manas in the final match, believes the future is bright for the 18-year-old.
"Malayo pa mararating nung bata. Kasi 18 years old, ako nag-World Champion ako 35 years old. Tapos siya 18? Nako, mahaba pa, ang haba pa ng karera niya," he said.
(He [Manas] has a long way to go. At 18 years old... I became a World Champion at 35 years old. He's only 18? He still has a long way to go in his career.)
"Hindi magtatagal mag-World Champion siya. Siguro mga two years, World Champion na. Two to three years expected ko yan," Biado added.
(It won't be long before he [Manas] becomes World Champion. I think in two years, he will be World Champion. I expect it to happen in two to three years.)
Bustamante said Manas winning MVP sent a message to critics who earlier questioned his decision to add the teen prodigy to his squad.
"Sana sa lahat ng mga bumabatikos kay AJ Manas, huwag naman ganun kasi kapwa Pilipino natin yan. Kasi hindi ko naman kukunin ang isang player kung wala siyang potential," he said.
(I hope all those who criticize AJ Manas stop it because he's our fellow Filipino. I will not choose a player to be on my team if he has no potential.)
"Sabi ko sa kanya, patunayan mo sa Pilipinas na magaling ka. Ayun nakita naman nila yung tinira ni AJ Manas hindi sumasablay. Saka maganda performance niya kaya naging MVP siya," Bustamante added.
(I told him [AJ], it's time to show the Philippines your skills. Everyone saw the shots of AJ Manas, he did not miss the mark. He showed s great performance, that's why he became MVP.)
The Filipino pool icon believes the Reyes Cup experience will be a big boost for Manas.
"Malaking bagay ito para kay AJ. Kasi noong ako yung bata parang nakita ko yung sarili ko sa kanya, talagang pursigido gumaling. Malaki ang mapupuntahan ng batang ito. Basta hintayin lang natin, marami siyang mararating na champion," he said.
([The win] is a big deal for AJ. When I was a kid, it's like I see myself in him, in his drive to improve. He will achieve great things. We just need to be patient, he will achieve many things and become champion.)
Bustamante hopes Manas' triumph will help inspire the next generation of pool players.
"Sa mga gustong gumaya kay AJ Manas, sana pagbutihin nila. Ako naman pag nakita ko magaling yung mga bata, kinukuha namin kasi coach kami ni pareng Efren sa Philippine Sports Commission so talagang kami magpupursigi irekomenda sila para gumaling," he said.
(To all those [kids] who want to be like AJ Manas, I hope they keep honing their skills. If I see a child who is good, I will get them on board. Because Efren and I are coaches in the Philippine Sports Commission and we will push to recommend them to help them improve)
Moving forward, Manas said he will take with him the lessons he learned from his teammates and coach when he returns to the pool table.
"Take time. Take time lang lagi, relax. Huwag kang ma-rarattle kapag andiyan na yung pressure eh. Pero kailangan mo yan ma-handle eh," he said.