Anton Raga crowned SBA Philippine Open 2025 champion in Gritty Race-to-13 showdown

The Sharks Billiards Association (SBA) proudly concludes the SBA Philippine Open 2025 with a historic finale as Anton “The Dragon” Raga emerged victorious in a hard-fought Race-to-13 Finals, held at the iconic Sharks Arena and Sports Bar. The one-day championship event capped off a weeklong tournament that brought the best of Filipino cue artistry to the national stage. 

The championship match was a display of elite precision, grit, and nerves of steel as Anton Raga edged out Jerico “Panday” Bañares, who fought valiantly but fell short. With the crowd on their feet and viewers watching, the match stood as a testament to the rising standard of Philippine billiards. 

“This isn’t just a tournament win — it’s a statement,” said SBA Commissioner and Founder Hadley Mariano. “The Philippine Open was designed to raise the bar and discover the next generation of champions, and tonight, we witnessed that vision come to life.” 

OFFICIAL RESULTS – SBA Philippine Open 2025 

• Champion: ANTON “THE DRAGON” RAGA – ₱400,000 cash prize + SBA Philippine Open 2025 trophy 
• 1st Runner-up: JERICO “PANDAY” BAÑARES – ₱150,000 cash prize + SBA Philippine Open 2025 trophy 
• Rank 3-4: ₱75,000 each 
• Rank 5-8: ₱20,000 each 
• Rank 9-16: ₱7,500 each 
• Rank 17-32: ₱4,000 each 
• Rank 33-64: ₱3,000 each 

TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW 

• Dates: April 21–27, 2025 
• Venues: 
  • April 21–24: CueHub Billiards Sports Bar & Lounge, Visayas Ave, QC
  • April 25–27: Sharks Arena and Sports Bar, Tomas Morato, QC ● Participants: 200+ players nationwide 
• Format: 
  • Eliminations – Race to 8 
  • Quarterfinals – Race to 9 
  • Semifinals – Race to 11 
  • Finals – Race to 13 
• Rules: WPA 9-Ball Rules 

Rules: WPA 9-ball rules

This article is brought to you by Sharks Billiards Association.

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