INQUIRER Sports

Dennis ?Robocop? Orcullo again secured the win that matters the most after the former world No. 1 routed Radoslaw Babica, 7-3 late Friday in their 10-ball duel and powered Team Philippines to another nerve-wracking, 4-2 victory over Poland in their quarterfinals duel at the World Team Pool Cup Championship in Hanover, Germany.

The win pushed the Nationals to a semifinal battle against Russia which eliminated Germany II, 4-1.

Orcullo, the top player of Bugsy Promotions was again put under massive pressure and needed to beat Babica to avoid a dangerous sudden-death shootout.

?Again all the expectation was on me coming to the deciding match,? said the 31-year-old former fisherman from Bislig, Surigao del Sur.

And again, the Pinoy reigning International Predator 10-ball champion, showed he?s got the playing style fit for pressure-packed situations.

Orcullo also bannered the country?s earlier wins against England (4-0), the Czech Republic (4-1) and Norway (4-2).

TWO MORE WINS AWAY FROM THE TITLE

With just two more wins separating the Filipinos from the inaugural crown, Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) chairman Florentino ?Yen? Makabenta is imploring everyone to pray for the success of the gritty Pinoys.

The Nationals had a great start by sweeping the 8-ball Scotch doubles event as the pairs of Ronato Alcano-Marlon Manalo and Orcullo-Warren Kiamco scored 6-4 and 6-3 victories against their Polish rivals.

Japan based Antonio ?Nickoy?Lining, the pride of Pinamalayan,Oriental Mindoro, made it 3-0 after his 8-3 win over Mariusz Skoneczny in the first 9-ball game.

Poland, however, forged a deciding third event (10-ball) when Mateusz Sniegocki beat Alcano (8-4) in the second 9-ball game.

Poland then made it two in a row with another win by Karol Skowerski over two-time BSCP National Pool Championship ruler Lee Vann Corteza (7-5) in the first 10-ball duel before Orcullo clinched the win for RP.

Great Britain and Greece, meantime beat their respective rivals to complete the final four.

Powered by world 9-ball champion Daryl Peach and world 10-ball champion Darren Appleton, Great Britain edged China (4-3) while Greece headed by Evangelos Vettas blasted Switzerland (4-0).

The 48-nation tournament, sanctioned by the World Pool Billiard Association (WPA), stakes a total purse of $400,000 (roughly P19.2 million) and awards $100,000 (roughly P4.7 million) to the champion.