TEAM ASIA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT WHITEWASH AS AJ ‘STARBOY’ MANAS SHINES | 2025 LIVESB.IO REYES CUP

Team Asia made a statement on opening day, storming to a commanding 4–0 lead over the newly formed Team Rest of the World, as debutant AJ “Starboy” Manas delivered a standout performance under the bright lights of the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

The 2025 LiveSB.io Reyes Cup is set to ignite the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila from October 16–19, as Team Asia defends their crown in an event staged in partnership with Puyat Sports and broadcast globally via Sky Sports, OneSport, and WNT TV.

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Day One result
Team Asia 4 – 0 Team Rest of the World

Reflecting on his debut performance, AJ Manas said: “I feel so happy — it’s an incredible feeling. I was nervous coming into today, but I’m surrounded by such a great team who’ve supported me all the way. We had a strong start, but now it’s time to refocus for tomorrow. I want to prove that Django choosing me was the right decision. I’m here to show I belong at this level and represent Asia with pride.”

Match One
Team Asia 5–1 Team Rest of the World

The defending champions wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Carlo Biado and Duong Quoc Hoang leading the charge in the team match. Biado capitalised early on a miss from Francisco Sánchez Ruiz, while Duong punished an error from rookie Moritz Neuhausen in rack five to help Asia coast to a confident opening win.

Match Two
Aloysius Yapp & AJ Manas 5–2 Jayson Shaw & Francisco Sánchez Ruiz

Mistakes continued to haunt Team Rest of the World as a second miss from Ruiz’s gave Asia control. Despite flashes of brilliance from the Mosconi Cup veterans, Aloysius Yapp and AJ Manas combined beautifully to close out the win and double Team Asia’s advantage.

Yapp commented: “Honestly, I felt like AJ carried me in that match. We knew we were up against a pair with a lot of experience, but AJ showed maturity beyond his years. He proved today that experience doesn’t always decide the result — what a debut from him.”

Match Three
Carlo Biado 5–3 Moritz Neuhausen

World Champion Carlo Biado showcased his trademark composure against rookie Neuhausen, converting crucial opportunities and punishing the German’s mistakes — including a missed shot and a costly scratch — to edge closer to victory for Team Asia.

Biado said: “I played solid today. Credit to Moritz — he fought hard and showed his potential — but his errors made the difference. I’m happy with the win and proud of the way Team Asia performed today. The job’s not done yet though; we’ve got to keep the same energy tomorrow.”

Match Four
Johann Chua & Duong Quoc Hoang 5–4 Fedor Gorst & Skyler Woodward

In the final match of the night, Johann Chua and Duong Quoc Hoang sealed a clean sweep for Team Asia after an intense hill-hill battle against Fedor Gorst and Skyler Woodward. The decisive moment came when a foul in the final rack from the World No.1 handed Asia the opening they needed to complete the whitewash, sending the local crowd into celebration.

With Team Asia now leading 4–0 after a perfect start, the pressure is firmly on Team Rest of the World to stage a major comeback on Day Two — or risk watching Asia march toward another Reyes Cup triumph.

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