Orcollo faces Liu in tonight’s PBB Series

WORLD Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) Player of the Year and Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year Dennis Orcollo declared his readiness for Liu Hai Tao of China in their one-on-one battle tonight in the Philippine Bigtime Billiards (PBB) Face Off Series at the Pagcor Airport Casino in Parañaque City.

“Liu Hai Tao is a very tough opponent, but I’m ready,” said the world No. 6 Orcollo who will lead the country’s bid in the 2012 International 10 ball Cup on April 26 to 29 at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Orcollo, one of the top players of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions, is gunning for a win that would give Team Philippines the upper hand in its duel against Team Asia.

Last April 14, Filipino Alex Pagulayan clustered two straight racks to beat Liu, 9-6, and allowed Team Philippines to tie the series, 4-4 in the winner’s break format event jointly organized by the Mega Sports World and BRKHRD Corp. which is aired live over Solar Sports, Sky Channel 70 and Destiny Channel 34.

The PBB Face Off series is backed up by Sorsogon Province sports patron Philip Escudero, Malungai Life Oil, Mandarin Sky Sea Food Restaurant, Servo Marketing, Hermes Sports Bar, Golden Leaf Restaurant, Bugsy Promotions, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Airport Casino Filipino and The Philippine Star.

Next up after the Orcollo-Liu duel is the April 28 matchup between Fong Pang Chao of Chinese-Taipei and Filipino Lee Vann “The Slayer” Corteza. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino