Two teenagers chase fortunes in billiards

CEBU CITY, Philippines - If this was the early ‘90s, or the pre-Efren “Bata" Reyes era, parents would throw a fit if they see their kids spending most of their time at the billiards hall. A common episode in these halls of pool tables would have been parents with whips in hands while dragging little boys out of the place once considered a place of evil. Not anymore. Not after a simple man from a humble background —Efren Reyes—won the US 9-Ball Open in 1994, becoming the first non-American to ever win the event and paving the way for local cue stick artists to gain respect. It was Reyes’ story that inspired young cue artists, 14-year-old Diondel Raga and 18-year-old Marvin Gentapa to take billiards as a serious sport. Their parents can only stand back and watch as their sons take the road less traveled by kids their age—forego school to travel all over the country to compete in various competitions. These boys want to follow Reyes’ footsteps and are taking this mission a seriously, competing in the qualifying round of the Sun.Star Superbalita 9-Ball Challenge Class A division. While they have no plans of growing a mustache or stop bathing during competitions, the boys decided to stop school, a huge thing to give up, just so they could pursue their dreams. “Si Bata gani wa man naka eskwela. Pareha mi nga ganahan ra gyud mag billiards," Raga said. (Even Bata didn’t finish his studies. Like him we just love billiards.) These boys are currently in Cebu competing in the premier Open division, where they are hoping to join the Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Alex Pagulayan and other big names in Philippine pool in the main draw Raga, who is originally from Tabunok, held his first cue stick when he was just eight. - Sun.Star Cebu