Reyes, Django back out of RP snooker tourney

The country's top two pool players - Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante - will not be competing in the 2nd Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) national pool championships, which will be held starting Monday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. GMANews.TV learned that Reyes and Bustamante decided to fly to Los Angeles to compete in the $10,000 Los Angeles 9-Ball Open scheduled starting March 27 until April 1. The two top Filipino players likewise failed to compete in the inaugural edition of the tournament, which Filipino Canadian Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan won. Both opted to compete in the 2006 World Cup of Pool in South Wales, England. Despite the absence of the country's top two cue artists in the tournament, BSCP chairman Yen Makabenta said that he is still optimistic that the tournament will be a success. "I worry not about them anymore," said Makabenta in an interview. "The main goal of the association is to develop the sport and we will do that with or without them." Because of Reyes's and Bustamante's decision, defending champion Alex Pagulayan, who is currently ranked No. 3 in the country, will play as the top seed in the tournament. The other seeded players in the top five are Dennis Orcullo, Rodolfo Luat, Ronato Alcano and Antonio Gabica. - GMANews.TV