Multi-titled pool star spends most of his time learning from a player who many consider as the Greatest Of All Time.
Johann Chua is already a star in his own sense — but when you exist in the same space as Philippine billiards legend Efren “Bata” Reyes, it is difficult to hold a candle to an athlete as decorated as The Magician.
Most recently, Chua was able to receive Reyes’ mentorship during the inaugural Reyes Cup, where he played a pivotal role in landing Team Asia’s win over Team Europe in the international tiff.
Apart from being the namesake of the tournament, Reyes was also captain for Team Asia.
Now weeks from winning the Reyes Cup, which also came at the heels of Chua’s inaugural major victory at the Hanoi Open in Vietnam, Chua said that he owed much to Reyes when it comes to his success.
“Nung nag-start na 'yung Reyes Cup, nakakakilabot pa rin na andoon siya, tinuturuan niya kami sa practice room, while in match din nag-uusap usap kami, sinasabihan niya kami kapag may kailangan kaming itanong, itanong lang namin sakanya,” said Chua on One PH’s Power & Play.
“Marami, marami po kaming natutunan and I’m sure hindi lang po ako 'yung nakaramdam ng ganon, kundi po 'yung lahat po ng team po, ng Team Asia,” he added.
Among those that Chua learned from Reyes was the latter’s shot calling, where the 70-year-old sees ways out of difficult patches in a pool game.
Already a veteran in his own right, Chua continued to absorb everything that Reyes had to offer them — especially during the Reyes Cup, which he hopefully gets to use in his future competitions.
“Pag naglalaro kami, pinagpa-practice niya kami then pag nakakita siya ng mga tira, then 'pag may mga hindi kami alam, tinatanong namin siya then minsan nagvo-voluntary na siya nagsasabi na eto 'yung tira don, eto pa 'yung pwedeng ibang tira. Then ganon. Kaya malaking pasasalamat namin sa kanya talaga,” he said.
Reyes Cup inaugural champions Team Asia included Reyes, Chua, Ko Pin Yi, Aloysius Yapp, Carlo Biado, and Duong Quoc Hoang.