Anton “The Dragon” Raga tops the Sharks Billiards Association (SBA) Philippine Open at the Sharks Arena and Sports Bar along Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City on Sunday (April 27, 2025). He won P400,000 in cash. (Photo courtesy of SBA)
Anton “The Dragon” Raga emerged as the champion of the Sharks Billiards Association (SBA) Philippine Open on Sunday night, held at the Sharks Arena and Sports Bar along Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City.
The 28-year-old cue artist from Talisay, Cebu, delivered a commanding performance, defeating Jerico “Panday” Bañares, 13-7, in the race-to-13 final. The tournament gathered some of the best Filipino players, making Raga’s victory even more impressive.
SBA founder and commissioner Hadley Mariano praised the event’s significance for Philippine billiards.
“This isn’t just a tournament win — it’s a statement,” Mariano said. “The Philippine Open was created to raise the bar and discover the next generation of champions. Tonight, we saw that vision realized.”
For his victory, Raga pocketed P400,000 in cash, while Bañares took home P150,000. Both finalists were also awarded trophies.
Additional cash prizes were distributed as follows: third and fourth placers received P75,000 each; players who finished 5th to 8th earned P20,000; 9th to 16th place finishers received P7,500; and those who placed 17th to 32nd and 33rd to 64th received P4,000 and P3,000, respectively.
