Two more golds

Philippines gets gold medals in billiard and bridge; Sinag Pilipinas off to rousing start World No. 1 Dennis Orcullo won a gold medal in his favorite 8-ball billiards event to give the Philippines its seventh gold in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia, yesterday.

Earlier in day 4 of the biennial meet, the country’s men’s butler pair of Gerry Alquiros and George Soo won a gold in bridge, which is making its debut as a medal event in the Southeast Asian Games.

Orcullo defeated Singapore’s Chan Keng Wang, 7-5, in the quarterfinals, Indonesia’s Muhammad Zulfikri in the semifinals, 7-4, and Ricky Yang, also of Indonesia, in the finals, 7-2 en route to the title.

The Philippines now has a record of 7-13-18 (gold-silver-bronze) good for sixth place.

Iris Ranola tries to make it a double for the Filipinos in the women’s 8-ball event after defeating Malaysian Suhana Dewi, 5-4, in the quarterfinals. Ranola faces Indonesian Angelina Ticoalu in the semifinals.

In the card game bridge, the women’s team of Gemma Tan, Viksi Egan, Rose Unson, and Mylene Encontro lost to Thailand in the semifinal to settle for a bronze medal.

The 13-strong Philippine bridge contingent is composed of a mix of professionals, lawyers, executives, and academicians, with players ranging from their 20s to their 70s.

National Statistical Coordination Board secretary general Romulo Virola is part of the team.

SINAG ROUTS

CAMBODIA

Meanwhile, the Sinag Pilipinas basketball team opened its campaign in overwhelming fashion as they downed Cambodia, 127-68, yesterday at the Britama Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Sinag Pilipinas, boasting of a a core of players from the UAAP and the NCAA, did not look amateur at all with Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena almost having a perfect game with 17 points on eight-of-eight shooting, with five rebounds, three assists and four steals.

Former UAAP MVP RR Garcia added 16 points and San Beda’s top scorer Garvo Lanete chipped in 15 points.

Cambodia, which lost its star player Phal Sorphor to a tragic car accident just a week before the competition, had no answers to the Philippines’ speed and simply stared at a 50+ deficit by the payoff period.

Mith Pek and Oeun Sopheun rallied behind the Cambodians in a losing effort with 24 points apiece.

The country’s shorthanded women’s squad, on the other hand, held off defending champion Malaysia later, 64-56, to get its quest for a first-ever Games gold running.

The Filipinas nearly blew a 19-point lead in the first half after the Malaysians started connecting from the perimeter before some excellent outside sniping in the stretch bailed the Philippines out.

Cassy Tioseco was forced to miss the trip here after contacting dengue fever a day before departure.

The 6-foot-1 former UAAP MVP is currently confined at the Makati Medical Center and left the Philippines without a true intimidating inside presence.

Merenciana Arayi was a strong presence on both ends for the Filipinas, shooting 16 points that went with 13 rebounds with Joan Grajales and Chovi Borja shooting 11 apiece for the Philippines.

Malaysia was led by Kalaimathi Rajintiran, who had 12 points.

In Jakarta, Marites Bitbit finished seventh in the women’s ITT, while Mark Galedo suffered a spill and lost 15 seconds to finish third in the men’s 50.7-km ITT. Inquirer with reports from correspondent jonas panerio and interaktv.ph