NJ pool players beat field of 6,000, win championship in Las Vegas

Two South Jersey residents received cash prizes after winning a tag team tournament in Las Vegas.

In late April, Somerdale’s Joey Rivera and Jatin Bhakta competed in the 2026 American Pool Players Association Billiards Championship. The tournament takes place April 26-27 at Westgate Las Vegas.

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As one of three annual APA championships, the Billiards Championship has 15 categories and more than 6,000 players participating.

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Rivera and Bhakta, who call themselves the “A-Team,” are one of 384 teams nationwide to qualify for the APA 9-Ball Doubles Pool Championship. The “A-Team” regularly competes in billiards tournaments in the local APA league in South Jersey.

After two days of competition, the Camden County residents defeated “Clutch of Latonia” from Kentucky in the finals to take first place in the division.

Rivera and Bhakta earned a combined $5,000 for their victory.

Risha Inaganti writes about hot topics in South Jersey for The Courier-Mail. If you have a story worthy of her telling, please email rinaganti@usatodayco.com. Subscribe to get your latest news need.

This article originally appeared in the Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Joey Rivera, N.J.’s Jatin Bhakta’s ‘A-Team’ win pool title