Orcollo, Alcano reach pool KO stage

DENNIS ORCOLLO takes careful aim in his match against American Max Eberle. RODEL ROTONI

MANILA—Mika Immonen, the defending champion, led the march to the knockout stages of the 2011 World 10-Ball championship yesterday after ripping Filipino Ruben Cura, 9-3, at the World Trade Center.

Dennis Orcollo was the first Filipino to crash the elite list of top 64 players after a 9-2 crushing of American Max Eberle, in a later match.

After dropping three games in his opening match on Tuesday, Orcollo kept the American in his chair from the lag until he took the hill before breaking dry in the ninth frame to allow Eberle to win two straight racks.

“I thought I could post a sweep,” Orcollo said jokingly in Filipino. “I guess he (Eberle) just played bad today.”

Ronnie Alcano, the last Filipino to win a world crown on Philippine soil, had to scrape through his second round match with Ak Md Saiful Azri, prevailing, 9-6, after winning the final three racks.

Immonen, who won in 2009 at the expense of Filipino Lee Van Corteza, was never threatened in his match with Cura.

The toothless Alcano won a toe-to-toe exchange with Azri to keep alive his bid of becoming the world’s first Triple Crown winner in the sport.

Alcano had won the World 8- and 9-Ball titles, giving him the extra motivation to win here and claim the $60,000 top prize.