MANILA, Philippines – The legend of Efren “Bata” Reyes continues to grow.

In honor of the man widely regarded as the greatest pool player of all time, the World Nineball Tour will stage the inaugural Reyes Cup in the Philippines from October 17 to 20.

Following the format of the long-running Mosconi Cup contested by teams representing Europe and the United States, the Reyes Cup will pit the best players from Asia against their counterparts from Europe.

“The Efren Reyes Cup is not just a tournament – it’s a celebration of the sport we love and I am excited to see the pool community come together for its first edition in the Philippines,” said Reyes in a statement.

Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp is in line to captain Team Asia, while Spain’s David Alcaide is on track to lead Team Europe.

Filipino star Carlo Biado, a former nine-ball world champion, also has a shot at making Team Asia.

Matchroom Pool boss Emily Frazer said the Reyes Cup is a dream turned to reality.

“Given the storied history the Philippines has on the sport, it is only right that we honor Efren in his home country,” said Frazer.

“Efren’s passion for the sport has been unwavering for over 50 years, he is the perfect figurehead for this tournament and our sport.”

Although already 69 years old, Reyes remains active in the sport as he represented the country in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last year. – Rappler.com