Orcollo regains form, makes Predator Last 8

WORLD No. 1 Filipino Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo came back with a vengeance in the 11th Predator International 10-Ball Championships scoring five victories and advancing to the quarterfinal round yesterday at the Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas.

Orcollo, the top player of Perry Mariano’s Bugsy Promotions, shrugged off his 9-3 loss to Japan’s Yukio Akagariyama in the opening round and nailed successive victories over separate opponents.

The reigning World 8-ball champion outclassed Han Hao Xiang of China, 9-3; Jayson Shaw of the United States, 9-1; Daryl Peach of Great Britain, 9-3 and countryman Carlo Biado, 9-3 in the losers brackets then nipped compatriot Jundel Mazon, 10-2 in the round-of-16.

Orcollo’s next assignment will be the winner of the match between another Filipino entry Ramil “Bebeng” Gallego and Wu Hao of China.

Against Mazon, Orcollo took the first two racks in the race-to-10 format, Last 16. However, Mazon won two straight racks of his own to level the count at 2-all.

Orcollo then clustered eight straight racks to win and advance to the next round.

“Talagang maganda lang ang nilalaro natin ngayon at hope ko na magpatuloy ito,” said Orcollo, coach of the PCSO Billiards Academy.

Against Biado, Orcollo took a 5-0 and 7-3 leads and never looked back in the tournament that offers $10,000 to the champion.

“Nakauna agad ako at maganda ang latag ng bola sa akin,” said the Bislig, Surigao del Sur native Orcollo.

The tournament’s other quarterfinalists include defending champion Efren “Bata” Reyes who edged countryman John Salazar, 10-8, in the Last 16, Mika Immonen of Finland who brought down Chris Melling of Great Britain, 10-9 and Philipp Stojanovic of Croatia who tripped Ronato Alcano of the Philippines, 10-9.