MANILA, 30 November — Efren “Bata” Reyes’ title run came to an abrupt halt after losing by a hairline to Finnish master Mika Immonen in their quarterfinal round match, 11-10, in the 34th All Japan Championship in Amagasaki City.

The cue artist known around the world as “The Magician” found his amazing winning streak snapped by his gritty opponent.

Another Filipino, Warren Kiamco, also lost to Immonen by a similar 11-10 score in another classic duel in the semifinals. But Immonen failed to capture the title after absorbing a heartbreaking 11-10 setback to reigning US Open champion Corey Duel in the finals.

Duel took home $15,000, plus the enviable reputation of having beaten the Philippines’ two title hopefuls.

By beating Reyes, Immonen avenged his loss in October in the star-studded Accu-Stats 8-Ball Invitational and made up for his shortcomings in the Tokyo 9-Ball International, the richest ever pool tournament, which was won by the Pampanga-born Reyes.

After his Tokyo 9-Ball event conquest, Reyes traveled to Europe, where he reigned supreme in the World Pool League, in Warsaw, Poland, some two weeks ago.

Reyes looked poised to win another major tournament when he beat Filipino Alex Pagulayan, who is based in Canada, 11-9, in the round of 32 and then whipped Japan’s Kiyokata Ohashi, 11-2, in the round of 16 of the Japan Championship.

But against the precision-playing Immonen, Reyes faltered, enough to give the young Finnish star an opening which he translated to a win. Reyes wound up a highlight-filled year in which he pocketed more than 12 million pesos in prize money by winning four major tournaments and two one-on-one showdowns.

Eduardo Buenavista to campaign abroad

Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist Eduardo Buenavista is set to compete in four major international competitions — three in Asia and one in Europe — as part of his intensive training for next year’s Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea. “We want to give Buenavista the very best overseas exposure so he will have very strong medal prospect in next year’s Asian Games. I’m working on that right now,” said athletics chief Go Teng Kok.

Buenavista established a new SEA Games record on his way to topping the steeplechase before completing his successful stint in the last Kuala Lumpur Games in September by winning the men’s 5,000-meter gold medal.

Based on those performances, even foreign coaches of the other competing SEA Games countries noted that, given proper training, the 5-foot pocket dynamo from Sto. Nino, South Cotabato, looms as a strong gold medal prospect in next year’s Asiad.

The last athletics gold the Philippines won in the quadrennial meet was by Lydia de Vega who ruled the century dash in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games.

Go said he is eyeing competitions in China, South Korea and Japan for Buenavista’s Asian exposure. He has also sent inquiries to athletic associations in Europe where Buenavista can see action.

“We expect replies from these associations before the end of the year so we can work these events into his (Buenavista’s) schedule next year as part of his program for the Asian Games,” said Go.

In the meantime, Go added, Buenavista and the rest of the national athletics training pool members will continue their high-altitude training in Baguio City.

Go said specialized training for John Lozada and Ernie Candelario, who won the 800 and 400-meter golds, respectively, in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, is also being prepared.

Tennis professionals revive men’s council tournaments

Adelo Abadia and Johnny Arcilla joined forces to revive the Men’s Professional Tennis Council of the Philippines (MPTCP) in an effort to uplift the deteriorating state of men’s tennis in the country.

Abadia and Arcilla, who were elected president and vice president, respectively, forged their pact during the recent 20th PCA Open. Arcilla finally won the men’s singles event on his third trip to the finals against his RP Davis Cup teammate Abadia.

Abadia and Arcilla announced that the MPTCP has laid the groundwork for their 12 men’s tournaments for 2002 with a total prize money of P100,000 for each leg.

Abadia and Arcilla were elected together with Roland Kraut as secretary Karl Santamaria as treasurer, Pop Sabandon as auditor, and Michael Mora with Joseph Victorino as board of trustees.

Named advisers were Asian Games gold medalist and Grand Slam legend Ray Deyro, former Davis Cupper Romeo Rafon and MPTCP founder Nilo Natividad.

The MPTCP board has sought the assistance and support of Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chairman Eduardo Villanueva and fellow tennis-playing commissioner Angel Bautista for the issuance of licenses, necessary permits and sanctions for the professional circuit.

Villanueva approved the MPTCP’s proposal to establish a GAB-MPTCP monthly men’s ranking.

The 2002 circuit will commence with a Masters event offering a cash pot of 300,000 pesos for the Top 16 finishers based on the GAB-MPTCP points. “We’re happy that men’s tennis decided to go professional. We can even help in looking for sponsors and in our own little way help promote and develop tennis in the country,” Villanueva shared.

Roco approves entry of students,

teachers in youth games

The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) has given the go-signal for public school teachers and student-athletes to participate in the Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy competitions set Dec. 1-7 in Bacolod.

Education Secretary Raul Roco signed the memorandum allowing public school children and teachers to take part in the third edition of the sportsfest at the Panaad Sports Complex.

Commissioner Amparo Lim, project director for the third PNYG-Batang Pinoy, Ricardo Garcia, and Cynthia Carrion were given the memo in a meeting with Roco at the DECS offices in Pasig City.

Bacolod Rep. and former PSC Commissioner Monico Puentevella was also instrumental Roco’s decision since more than half of the participants in the Batang Pinoy nationals come from the public schools.

HBO to stage Pacquiao bout in Manila!

ROD Nazario, the well-connected business manager of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, said HBO is planning to stage a big card in the country.

Nazario, who had stayed for nine days in New York following Pacquiao’s Nov. 10 encounter with the Dominican Republic’s Agapito Sanchez in San Francisco, said that in two weeks time he will know if HBO can stage Pacquiao’s next fight in the Philippines.

But should HBO fail to stage a Pacquiao fight in the country that will be beamed to the US, Nazario will try to do it all by himself in late February or early March.

New Jersey-based promoter Murad Muhammad holds the right to stage Pacquiao’s fights, although Nazario thinks he can convince Muhammad to give way even just once, “so the Filipinos will get the chance to see Pacquiao fight against a formidable foe.”

Nazario wants former world champion American Danny “Kid Dynamite” Romero to come to Manila and fight the Filipino International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-bantamweight king.

There are at least two offers being made by local promoters for Pacquiao to stake his throne against Sanchez, who earned the ire of Filipino fight fans for his dirty tactics against Pacquiao.