Earl "The Pearl" Strickland outlasted longtime rival Efren "Bata" Reyes in their WNT Legends clash.
More than three decades after their iconic 1996 Hong Kong showdown, longtime rivals Earl Strickland and Efren "Bata" Reyes crossed paths once again—this time on the WNT Legends stage on Thursday, January 22, at the Gateway Mall in Quezon City.
“The Pearl” turned back the Filipino icon with an 11–6 victory, controlling most of the race-to-11 matchup to advance to the WNT Legends Final.
The American Hall of Famer came out sharp, racing to an early 5–1 lead before Reyes began to steady his game.
While "the Magician" trimmed the gap to 5–3 and later 7–4, Strickland consistently found answers at the table, pulling away with composed shot-making and timely breaks.
From there, Strickland stretched the margin to 9–4 and never looked back, closing the match at 11–6 to seal the win.
The victory sends Strickland into the championship round, where he will face fellow legend Francisco "Django" Bustamante in an all-time greats showdown to crown the WNT Legends winner.
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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.