Teen prodigy explodes onto the scene as the Vietnamese cue sports team overwhelmingly defeats the Rest of the World team at the tournament in the Philippines.
Teen prodigy AJ Manas shone brilliantly on the second day of competition, helping Team Asia completely dominate the Rest of the World team at the 2025 Reyes Cup billiards tournament.
AJ Manas – The new star of Asian billiards
Under the bright lights of Ninoy Aquino Arena, a new star in the Asian billiards scene officially emerged. AJ Manas, the 18-year-old Filipino cueist, became the highlight of the second day at the Reyes Cup 2025 by playing a key role in leading Team Asia to a 7-0 advantage over the Rest of the World team.
AJ Manas competed in three matches on the second day and won them all, dispelling nearly all doubts about his ability. With peak performance, Manas not only earned 3 crucial points for Team Asia but also finished all three matches with decisive shots on the 9-ball – all witnessed by living legend Efren "Bata" Reyes.
The Rest of the World team started match 5 with two wins thanks to the teamwork of Gorst and Shaw. However, the pair of Duong Quoc Hoang and Manas quickly equalized the score. Then, the experience of Johann Chua overcame Moritz Neuhausen, and Carlo Biado took advantage of Gorst’s mistake to put Team Asia on the hill (4-2). Although ROW tied it at 4-4, Manas asserted his composure by scoring the winning shot on the 9-ball, opening the score 1-0 for the second day.
Teen prodigy AJ Manas shone brilliantly on the second day of competition.
Team captain Francisco Bustamante said: "Team Asia is too strong. Everyone is playing excellently and coordinating well. Whoever comes doesn’t matter; right now, no one can stop Asia."
Match 6 was the most exciting singles match of the day. Fedor Gorst, the world’s number one player, took the lead with a "break and run," but Manas immediately responded with a "golden break." Playing confidently, Manas led 4-2, yet Gorst resiliently tied it 4-4. In the deciding rack, with only four balls left to win, Gorst fouled when his shirt touched the 7-ball – and Manas maximized this opportunity to claim a dramatic 5-4 victory.
In match 7, Chua and Manas faced Shaw and Gorst. Although the opposing team scored first due to a mistake by Chua, the combination of Chua and Manas quickly turned things around. Gorst made another error, and Chua executed two technically skilled jump shots to score important points in racks 6 and 7. Manas ended the match with a shot on the 9-ball, sealing a 5-2 victory for Team Asia.
"I am very proud of Team Asia. We didn’t expect to dominate like this, but everyone is playing with heart. AJ is truly extraordinary – the youngest on the team but playing like a veteran. Anyone who said he wasn’t ready is now wrong," Johann Chua said after the match.
"The feeling is unbelievable. Last year, I was a spectator dreaming of joining Team Asia – now I’m living that dream. Beating the world’s number one player, whom I admire, is crazy. I’m proud, but the journey isn’t over. I want to help Team Asia achieve a perfect victory," AJ Manas shared.
The absolute dominance of Team Asia
By the end of the second day, Team Asia had won all 7 matches without allowing their opponents to score. The two remaining matches scheduled for the day – the singles match between Duong Quoc Hoang and Skyler Woodward, and the doubles match of Carlo Biado – Aloysius Yapp against FSR – Moritz Neuhausen – were postponed to the third day as Team Asia had already gained an overwhelming advantage.
The Team Asia lineup includes: AJ Manas, Carlo Biado, Johann Chua (Philippines), Aloysius Yapp (Singapore), and Duong Quoc Hoang (Vietnam).
Currently, the team is just 4 points away from the championship in the "race to 11" format. If they keep up their current performance, a flawless 11-0 victory, unprecedented in Reyes Cup history, is entirely achievable.
LiveSB.io Reyes Cup 2025 takes place from October 16–19 at Ninoy Aquino Arena, Manila, Philippines. The event is organized by Puyat Sports and broadcast worldwide via Sky Sports, One Sport, and WNT TV. After defeating Team Europe 11-6 in the inaugural season last year, Team Asia is aiming for a perfect defense of their championship title.
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