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| Team Asia smiles after blowing the Reyes Cup wide open on Day 2. Matchroom Pool |
MANILA--Team Asia went on a Night 2 blast to create separation from Team Europe in the Reyes Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Following a four-match bill that spilled through early Thursday, Team Asia won all the scheduled clashes and is now up 7-2 in the race to 11 victories.
After blowing a 4-0 lead in their first 5-on-5 encounter, Team Asia did not slip up in their full-team rematch with Team Europe as the host squad scored a tight 5-3 win to open the Wednesday-Thursday session even as they won for the first time with hometown favorites Johann Chua and Carlo Biado actively involved.
Ko Pin-Yi beat Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, 5-3, in the first singles for the evening highlighted by a two-rail kick shot at the seven-ball on Rack 7 that turned out to be the game-turning point.
Later, Duong Quoc Hoang and Aloysius Yapp dominated the David Alcaide-Eklent Kaci alliance with a 5-2 victory before Biado capped the night by nipping Mickey Krause, 5-3, in the other singles match.
Due to time constraints, a scheduled doubles showdown between the duo of Chua and Ko and the tandem of Sanchez Ruiz and Jayson Shaw was called off and could be played instead later Thursday on Day 3.
With Team Asia blowing the continental clash wide open, they can seal the inaugural Reyes Cup championship on Night 3 without the need to play some matches on Friday night.
This implies that Team Europe must score wins later Thursday to ensure that the billiards event in honor of Efren "Bata" Reyes will go full length.
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