One more showdown between Efren “Bata” Reyes and Earl “The Pearl” Strickland of the United States?

That could very well happen.

The Billiards and Snookers Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) is plotting to have both cue artists duke it out in January next year.

BSCP president Aristeo “Putch” Puyat revealed that he is in talks with Matchroom Pool in organizing a tournament where billiards legends will duke it out in front of the Filipino fans.

Also set to join this competition is Francisco “Django” Bustamante.

“People want it to happen again because this might be the last time that the billiard world will see Efren and Earl Strickland play against each other,” Puyat said in an episode of Off the Court, the weekly online sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE.

“We will do it in January. We actually wanted it in December but we don’t have a venue because we have a lot of Christmas programs. Hopefully, we can have it in the Smart Araneta Coliseum if it’s available and we will broadcast it to the world.” 

Puyat, who has been the driving force for billiards in the Philippines, believes there will be a huge turnout both physically and online as fans want to see these legends in action once again.

“When we were pitching the idea to Matchroom, we told them there are 2,500,000 Filipinos in America,” Puyat said.

Reyes and Strickland were one of the top players in the 1990s up until the early 2000s.

In The Color of Money event in 1997, Reyes defeated Strickland, 120-117, despite being down by 17 racks as he pocketed the biggest prize pot at the time of $100,000.

Even Strickland applauded Reyes’ skills.

“He was a really smart player, and he handled pressure really well,” Strickland said.

“He’s got very good kicks. I still think I was the better shooter in a lot of ways. I could make some tougher shots but his ability to think was what made him so great — seeing how to kick a shot, or play position, or play a safety.”