Bata, Orcollo remain unbeaten

Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes and Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo kept the Philippine tri-colors fluttering in the winner’s brackets yesterday but Francisco “Django” Bustamante failed to dodge the bullet in the 37th Annual U.S. Open at the Holiday Inn Virginia Beach-Norfolk Convention Center in Virginia, USA.

Still razor-sharp at 58, Reyes, the 1999 World 9-ball champion, toppled Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, 11-9, to face Darren Appleton of Great Britain, in the next round. Appelton beat Alex Olinger, 11-7.

Orcollo, 34, the top player of Bugsy Promotions, got back at Mark Gray of Great Britain, 11-7, to meet Mike Davis in the fourth round of winner’s bracket. Davis dumped Louis Ulrich, 11-3.

Also winning their matches yesterday were Alex Pagulayan, Ronato Alcano and Jose “Amang” Parica.

Pagulayan crushed countryman Santos “The Saint” Sambajon, 11-9; Alcano nipped David Alcaide of Spain, 11-10 while Parica beat Donny Mills of the US, 11-9.

In the next round, Pagulayan will battle Daryl Peach of Great Britain who downed Ralph Eckert, 11-5; Parica will meet Raj Hundal of India who outpointed Nick Ekonomopoulos, 11-7 while Alcano will face Mika Immonen of Finland who beat Bustamante, 11-8, in the loser’s side.

Bustamante suffered his second loss after bowing to compatriot Warren “Warrior” Kiamco, 11-10, in their do-or-die match to bow out of the longest running 9-ball tournament in the world. Kiamco next faces Alcaide.

Meanwhile, Carlo Biado bounced back in contention after beating Brett Stottlemyer, 11-7, in the loser’s side. He will face Jin Hu Dang in the next round. Biado, earlier lost to Tom D Alfonso of Italy, 11-7.

Ramon “Maestro Monching” Mistica edged D. Mastermaker, 11-10, to face Israel “Amay” Rota in the next round.

The Filipinos’ US Open 9-Ball campaign is supported by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Puyat Sports, Bugsy Promotions, Negros Billiards Stable, Hermes Sports Bar and Malungai Life Oil.