Dennis Orcollo puts away national 9-ball title

Dennis Orcollo

MANILA, Philippines—It’s payback time for Dennis Orcollo Monday as he rallied to beat two-time tormentor Carlo Biado, 11-8, and rule the 9-Ball division of the National Pool Championship at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.

Orcollo, the world’s No.1 player and reigning World 8-Ball champion, fought back from 6-3 down to finally pull off a win against Biado, the newly crowned 8-ball titlist.

“I know he (Biado) would surge ahead because he had played in the 8-ball championship and is familiar with the table’s speed,” said Orcollo in Filipino after clinching the title and the P50,000 winner’s purse.

“I just waited for him to make a mistake.”

Unfazed by Orcollo’s lofty stature, Biado won their last two meetings—in the semifinals of the 8-ball tournament of this event and the quarterfinals of the World Ten Ball Championship in May.

Orcollo’s victory in the 9-ball event tightened up the race for the grand championship and the P200,000 at stake.

On Sunday, Biado clinched his first major title by beating Alan Cuartero, 9-3, in the final of the 8-ball event which serves as a qualifier for next month’s World Pool Summit in Manila.

Both Biado, who also won P50,000 for his feat in 8-ball, and Orcollo are assured of slots in the World Pool Summit, the season’s final event of the World Pool Billiard Association.