Player: Aloysius Yapp
Event: 2024 Reyes Cup
Location: Manila, Philippines
Date: October 18, 2024



The Inaugural Reyes Cup was a can't-miss event, pitting teams from Europe and Asia in a Mosconi Cup-like race-to-11 match points. The depth of the talent pool in Asia has been undeniable for at least three decades, so it only made sense as European stars continued to arrive from across the continent.

Held in Manila, Philippines, in October, the competition was overseen by its namesake Efren Reyes as captain of Team Asia. Appropriately enough, with the Asian squad was on the hill, a match away from winning the cup, Aloysius Yapp turned in some trickery that was fitting for The Magician.

With Team Asia leading, 10-6, Yapp faced Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, who was in the midst of a dominant Player of the Year campaign. The two split the opening racks in the race-to-five. In the third, Yapp banked the 2 ball the length of the table, but he then opted to play safe by hiding the cue ball behind the 5.

FSR, having no viable option to contact the 3, played an intentional foul, rolling the cue ball into the 6. With ball in hand, Yapp opted to aim for a quick victory instead of working through a pattern that didn't include a natural pocket for the 5 ball.

The Singaporean star lined up a full-table combination sending the 3 into the 9 headed for the top right corner. Using a fair amount of draw with a cue elevated to 30 degrees, Yapp punched the 3 into the 9, which went straight to its destination in the corner pocket. Just to be safe, he drew the cue ball off the footrail and behind the 7 ball, hiding it from the 3 if the 9 didn't fall.

Yapp only gained momentum after dropping this 9 ball. He swiped the next three racks to take the set and the Reyes Cup, 5-1, for Team Asia.

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