‘Django’ Bustamante leads Team Asia to victory

Filipino pool icon Francisco “Django” Bustamante flashed his old deadly form to beat Nick van den Berg of the Netherlands, 5-2, in the deciding match of the Asia vs Europe 9-Ball Team Challenge on Sunday.

The win clinched the victory for Team Asia over Team Europe at the Sutra Hall of Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong, Brunei Darussalam.

The Asian cue artists scored a total 8-7 win over Team Europe to bag the top prize of $27,000. The runner-up, meantime, received $13,000.

“Everyone here is happy and smiling because Team Asia won the title,” Bustamante told his longtime benefactor, sportsman and businessman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat.

Team Asia was composed of Bustamante, his fellow Filipino legend Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ko Pin Yi and Lu Hui Chan of Taiwan, and Teo Chee Soon of Dubai.

Britons Darren Appleton and Imran Majid, Van den Berg and fellow Dutch Niel Feijen, German Ralf Souquet and Russian Ruslan Chinahov comprised Team Europe.

Reyes told the crowd of around 1,000 at the Sutra Hall: “I would like to thank the spectators, from Bruneians to the Filipinos for supporting us. We feel very good and happy here in Brunei.”

His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, graced the closing rites. The Crown Prince is also a billiards player.

Source: Marlon Bernardino  | abs-cbnnew.com

Bata, Django lead Asians vs Euro stars

Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante expect a tough grind when they spearhead the Asian charge in the Asia vs Europe Men’s 9-Ball Team Challenge that starts this Friday at the Sutra Hall, Rizqun International Hotel in Brunei.

Reyes said beating their rivals will be a tall order since they lack of time to practice with their teammates.

“It will be a very tough match against the top European players. The Europeans are a very solid team and I still don’t know much about my teammates from Taiwan and Brunei,” the 55-year-old Reyes told a local newspaper upon their arrival in Brunei.

Bustamante agreed with his long-time buddy.

“We are expecting tough matches but we will try our best to beat the Europeans who are very young and strong,” said Bustamante, who will play for the first time in the former English colony.

Reyes and Bustamante, whose successful partnership earned them a second World Cup of Pool title in Manila last year, will be joined by host’s Teo Chee Soon and Taiwanese Ko Pin Yi and Lu Hui Chan in the World Pool Billiards-Association-sanctioned event that stakes a total cash prize of $45,000 (P2.1 million).

“We will need a lot of luck if we are to upset the Europeans. In 9-ball pool, luck is important,” added the former double world champion Reyes, who will be playing for the third time in Brunei.

Reyes had earlier competed in the 1999 Brunei Southeast Asian Games and the Brunei Invitational 9-ball Pool Championship four years ago.

Team Europe is made up of World no. 2 Ralf Souquet of Germany, Darren Appleton and Imran Majid of England, Ruslan Chinahov of Russia and Nick Van Den Berg of Holland.

Both teams will play 15 matches five double and 10 single events with the squad piling up the highest number of won match at the end of competition be declared the team champion.

Every double event and single event won by each team is equivalent to one point with doubles event enforcing a Scotch doubles format.

Source: Francis Santiago  | Manila Bulletin