FILIPINO billiard stars Efren “Bata” Reyes and Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan posted back-to-back victories yesterday at the start of the 2nd Annual Hard Times 10-ball in Bellflower, California.
Reyes routed Masashi Vemura of Japan, 9-3, and WPA World Junior Girls champ Britanny Bryant, 9-2, of Canada while Pagulayan crushed Americans Lorry de Leon, 9-1, and Jenny Lee, 9-2.
Reyes and Pagulayan, both former WPA world 9-ball champions are sent here by RP billiards God Father Aristeo “Putch” Puyat.
Meanwhile, Jose “Amang” Parica and Santos “The Saint” Sambajon, shared the opening day spotlight by beating their respective foes.
The West Covina-based Parica toppled American Chris Wedekind, 9-3 and Filipino Jun Almoite, 9-4, while Sambajon ripped Nick Spano, 9-3, of Italy.
Deomark Alpajora beat American Damian Alishan, 9-8 but but lost to Oscar Dominguez of Mexico, 9-5 while American Rodney “The Rocket” Morris routed Ramon “Maestro Monching” Mistica, 9-1, sending the Filipjno to the losers’ bracket.
/Correspondent Marlon Bernardino