KUALA LUMPUR—The star-studded billiards squad marches to the warzone Tuesday, looking to come up with another golden performance in the 29th Southeast Asian Games at the KL Convention Center here.
Led by former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes, Dennis Orcollo and Rubilen Amit, the 11-man squad opens its bid at 10 a.m where Reyes and Francisco Dela Cruz raise the curtains as they vie in men’s English billiards.
Also plunging into action are Orcollo, Warren Kiamco, who will campaign in men’s 9-ball pool doubles, Amit and Cheska Centeno, who bid in the women’s 9-ball pool singles, and Alvin Barbero and Jeffrey Roda in the snookers doubles (Scotch).
“Mahirap magsalita ng tapos, basta ready kami at gagawin namin ang lahat para manalo,” said the 62-year old Reyes, who also acts as national coach together with Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Rodolfo Luat.
Reyes, an Angeles City native, pocketed four bronze medals in the tournament’s past three stagings in Indonesia, Myanmar and Singapore.
The Filipino cue artists finished with three gold medals in the Singapore SEA Games with Carlo Biado and Kiamco ruling the men’s 9-ball doubles. Centeno emerged victorious in the women’s 9-ball singles and Orcollo in the men’s 9-ball singles.