Reigning World 9-Ball and 8-Ball champion Renato "Volcano" Alcano edged out Jose "Amang" Parica, 11-7, in an all-Filipino battle to reach the semifinal round, but four more Pinoys crash out of the 32nd US Open 9-Ball Championships at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Prior to setting up a showdown with Parica, Alcano dealt Cebuano Warren Kiamco his first defeat, 11-3.
Unfortunately, RP's brightest hopes Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante were sent home packing by their fellow countryman Ramil Gallego, while Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo suffered his first defeat and was relegated to the loser's bracket.
Although Alcano steps closer to the US$50,000 grand prize, it wasn't all jubilation for the Pinoy cue artists, who were forced to fight against to other. Gallego formally eliminated Bustamante, 11-6, before terminating Reyes, 11-4.
Gallego brightened up his title hopes when he defeated Parica, 11-9, to advance into the Final Eight of the week-long poolfest that offers a total of US$200,000 in cash prizes.
Orcollo, for his part, triumphed over James Walden, 11-5, but his four-game win streak was halted by Germany's Ralf Soquet, 11-5.
Orcollo is still in contention though much more if he hurdles his next assignment against Larry Nevel.
Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat, on the other hand, was kicked out by Finland's Mika Immonen, 9-11, while Kiamco was ousted Niels Feijen of the Netherlands.