SAYING that the country has found a successor to Efren "Bata" Reyes or Django Bustamante might be a bit premature. Bata Reyes is on a pedestal all his own, a billiards Hall of Famer, while Django is in a level just below.
But the accolades that poured for 18-year-old AJ Manas in clinching top honors in the Reyes Cup had ignited comparisons with Bata and Django.
Manas was not even a shoo-in for Team Asia in the the recently-concluded Reyes Cup but when he made the team on the suggestion of Bustamante, he did not let the opportunity go to waste.
READ 'Django's pick' AJ Manas proving he belongs in Reyes Cup
Displaying game maturity beyond his age, Manas went on to capture the Cuetec MVP –beating a star-studded cast for the honor and triggered speculations that he has the potential to be a world beater, likening his skills to that of Reyes when he was young.
Manas was first to admit that the MVP award came as a surprise.
“This is my biggest achievement. First time ko maglaro sa ganitong event at very special for me kasi di talaga ako makapaniwala na ako yung MVP,” he said.
Manas was the crowd darling in the four-day event at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium as he brought his online popularity before an adoring crowd and at an event considered one of the toughest in the country.
The break-and-run in the teams’ match in Day One probably was a good omen on how the Antipolo City native would perform versus some of the world’s best as he produced one memorable shot after another, getting wild roars from the appreciative crowd in this Asian version of the Mosconi Cup.
He seized the moment on the second day after a humongous victory over world No. 1 Fedor Gorst in their singles battle.
Fate favored him when Gorst’s shirt touched the 7-ball while going for the 6 in their hill-hill affair, enabling him to steal the 5-4 victory.
WATCH:
Manas also pulled off the shot of the tournament during his doubles match when he teamed up with world champion Carlo Biado against Gorst and Moritz Neuhausen.
‘Starboy’ jumped on the 2 and, by a stroke of luck once again, hid the cue teetering over the corner pocket behind the 6. That shot forced Neuhausen to commit a foul and put Team Asia on the hill and eventually, the crown.
“Tingin ko binuwenas kami kasi pagka-jump ko ng dos, tumago siya. Tingin ko pwede na siya umi-scratch pero pumabor lang talaga sa amin,” he said humbly.
Call it luck, but that’s pool for you. As they say, luck favors the brave. And as lucky as Manas may have been, one has to admit that during the tournament, he really made some incredible shots, said one his teammates.
“Napakaganda ng nilaro niya,” remarked Biado. “Hindi ko naman siya kailangang turuan kasi magaling yung shooting niya, yung pocketing niya, magaling siya magdala ng cue ball. Kailangan niya lang yung diskarte pa pero bata pa ito eh. Malayo pa ang mararating nung bata.”
“He deserves it. He played great and [him winning the MVP] will give him lots of confidence like it did for me last year,” said reigning US Open champion Aloysius Yapp of Singapore.
Johann Chua added: “I’m happy na nakuha ni AJ cause he deserved it kasi sinurpass niya yung expectations ng lahat ng tao. Nung pumasok siya sa team, di maganda yung naging comments sa kanya pero napatunayan niya at na-prove niya na worthy siya and happy kami na naging part kami ng progress niya.”
More than anything, it validated captain Francisco “Django” Bustamante’s decision to make him a wildcard selection for Team Asia.
“Di pa rin ako makapaniwala na ako yung pinili ni boss Django. Ang laki ng tiwala niya sa akin, so yung pressure nasa akin. Kailangan ko na lang pag-igihan,” he said. “Sabi niya, ‘Relax ka lang.’ Laruin ko lang ang laro ko kaya din naging mas kumportable ako maglaro.”
“Tingin ko, deserve ko naman.”
Bustamante said the teenager has a game mature enough for the competition.
“Hindi ko kukunin ang isang player kung walang potential, lalo na si AJ na nakikipag-tournament na sa mga international players,” said the pool great. “Sabi ko sa kanya, patunayan mo sa Pilipinas na magaling ka. At yun nga, malaking bagay ito para kay AJ.”
And for the legends of the game, this is just the start for Manas.
“Malaki ang mapupuntahan nitong batang ito. Marami siyang mararating na champion at mapapanalunan niya sa buong mundo kasi parang nakikita ko yung sarili ko sa kanya na talagang pursigidong gumaling,” said Bustamante.
Future world champ?
Biado was more over the top in his prediction: “Ang haba pa ng karera niya. Hindi magtatagal, magiging world champion din siya, maybe in 2-3 years expected ko na yan.”
That is still in the future, and for now, Manas is just relishing this whole experience while preparing for the next tournament.
“Marami akong natutunan sa teammates ko, like take time lang lagi and mag-relax, wag ka mara-rattle. Nandyan na yung pressure eh, so kailangan mo lang siyang i-handle,” he said.
What can’t be questioned is how big this would be for his career going forward, as he stated: “Pag tinalo mo yung magagaling, mas lalong tumataas kumpyansa mo na kaya mo pala.”
Surely you can, AJ.
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