MANILA, Philippines—What’s in a name, or even in a funny-sounding nickname?
Demosthenes Pulpul, whose surname sounds anything but brilliant in English, and whose nickname, 'Plong Plong,' is out of this world, couldn't care less, for he's kept his shot at becoming the first-ever World Ten Ball champion.
The 23-year-old native of Cagayan de Oro became the last Filipino standing last night after taking out Yang Shin-chung in a nerve-wracking hill-hill game that put him in the quarterfinals of the $400,000 event at the Philippine International Convention Center.
Pulpul overcame some inconsistencies in his marathon match with the money game king, winning the final rack even with Yang having the break as he rode another wave of luck to plod along and stay in the hunt for the $100,000 top prize. (See related story on A24)
The Filipino, who assured himself of the biggest bounty of his career-$10,000 (around P470,000)-for making the Magic 8, took the hill first after 15 frames and was on the table needing to drop just seven more balls.
But he scratched after making the No. 4 on the side pocket.
And, like in his great escape against the blonde Austrian Jasmine Ouschan Thursday night, Pulpul got another chance in the next rack, and did not waste this one.
Safety plays
After Yang dropped the black No. 8 on his break of the 17th frame, he found the No. 1 obscured by two balls. Though he had a shot at hitting it, there was no chance for the reedy Taiwanese to pocket the ball.
A series of safety plays ensued, and the clincher for the Filipino came when he countered a Yang safety with one of his own, using two rails to hide the No. 1 behind the yellow-striped 9 and leaving the object ball leaning against the rail at the opposite end of the table.
Yang was able to wriggle out of the jam, but he left Pulpul with a shot at making the No. 1 and the Filipino promptly cleaned up the table-albeit nervously-to earn a quarterfinal clash with China's Liu Haitao.
'A headache'
Liu put an end to Germany's Ralf Souquet's amazing run with a similar 9-8 decision in a match that was concluded well after the lights on the other tables were turned off.
"I need to sleep, even if I am excited (in playing in the quarterfinals)," Pulpul told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in Filipino. "The bright lights on the television table have constantly given me a headache after each match.'
Pulpul's victory erased the stigma of sorry losses suffered by top gun Marlon Manalo and teen phenom Jericho Bañares, who bowed out of last 16 action just minutes before Pulpul's victory.
Manalo found his rally from 2-8 fall short, falling to Niels Feijen, 9-6, after Bañares was taken out by another Dutchman, lanky Nick Van Den Berg, 9-6.
