At the age of 16, AJ Manas is making a name for himself. After losing his first match, he went on an absolute tear, winning eight straight games on his way to the finals of the TE Capital App 9 Ball.

Notable victories include defeating the 2023 All Japan Champion, Lu Hui Chan, and the 2023 Battle of the Bull and International 9-Ball Open Champion, Aloysius Yapp.

Manas eventually lost to the more veteran Ko Pin Yi, who is still in the prime of his career, with a score of 13-6. Ko is a flawless player whose well-timed aggressiveness and shotmaking, combined with his savvy defensive plays, make him a tough opponent once he gets his break going.

This is definitely a good lesson for AJ Manas to take into the next phase of his professional career.

Manas recently won the Hanoi Junior Open, where he looked like the best junior player in this part of the world. Manas didn’t even break a sweat as he was unthreatened by the competition.

At 16 years old, he’s still far from reaching his prime, but his current performance indicates he’s ready to take on the world stage. It’s an exciting time for Philippine billiards. The fans have a new name to root for in the years to come.