18-year-old AJ Manas showed out in front of hundreds of supporters in his opening match of the 2025 Philippines Open Pool Championship.
Reyes Cup MVP AJ Manas continued his strong momentum to his opening match of the 2025 Philippines Open Pool Championship after defeating Dennis Po, 10-4, at the Gateway Mall 2 on Wednesday, October 22.
A strong 6-0 start for Manas gave him all the cushion to take down Po, who is the coach for the Manila MSW Mavericks in the SBA.
While Po threatened to come back after cutting the deficit to 7-4, the 18-year-old prodigy proved to be calm as ever, closing out the match in commanding fashion.
“Siyempre magaan ‘yung pakiramdam sa ngayon. Kumpiyansa pa. Siyempre, first round palang tapos kakapanalo lang ng Reyes Cup, so magaan ‘yung pakiramdam ngayon,” Manas told One Sports.
After the match, Manas was quickly swarmed by fans asking to have a photo or have their cue stick signed.
“Siyempre, nagpapasalamat ako lagi sa fans, kay Lord na ‘di nila ako pinapabayaan,” he said.
[ALSO READ: Who is AJ Manas? Meet the 18-year-old cue artist seen as the future of Philippine billiards]
As for his goal in the Philippines Open? Manas kept it clear and concise.
“Siyempre, champion.”
Up next for the 18-year-old star will be Tom Peralta tomorrow at 12:30 p.m.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.