Orcollo clinches WPL title, takes P1-M purse

Dennis Orcollo posted a couple of pulsating 8-5 victories Sunday night, including one over Dutch Niels Feijen in the final that won him the PartyCasino.com World Pool League crown worth $20,000 at the NOT Building in Warsaw, Poland.

Orcollo, 26, came through with a tough shot in the 12th rack, a bank shot on the 1-ball into the middle pocket to set up a run out for a 7-5 lead before pouncing on Feijen’s miscue on the next rack to fashion out the victory in the winner’s break format finale.

The Quezon City-based Orcollo leapt with delight after sinking a 2-9 combination, whooping and dancing around the table as the capacity crowd rose to their feet to celebrate the Filipino player’s victory in the three-day, six-man tournament.

"I’d like to thank the Philippine community in Warsaw for coming out and supporting me," said Orcollo. "This victory is very, very big for me, I can hardly speak. I’d like to dedicate this win to the people of the Philippines."

The triumph, worth P1 million, thus put Orcollo in the elite circle of winners that includes Efren "Bata" Reyes, Francisco "Django" Bustamante, Jim Rempe, Thorsten Hohmann and Rodney Morris.

Feijen won the lag and cleared the table to take the early lead but Orcollo squared it with his own run out then stole the break in the next from an excellent long cut on the 2 ball to seize control.

Playing with confidence and moving the cue ball around the table with clockwork precision, Orcollo ran out from the break again to hike his lead to 3-1 although Feijen regained the table when Orcollo pushed out and left enough of the 1 ball visible for the Dutchman to pot it. He took it on and set up a run out to reduce the lead to a single rack.

A good break from Feijen left him with no pot on the 1 ball though, and he played a snooker. Orcollo managed to connect with the 1 ball but failed to hit a rail, giving ball in hand. Feijen took the cue and cleared up to level the match at 3.

Feijen potted a ball off the break but his safety on the 1 ball was weak, enabling Orcollo to tuck the cue ball behind the 3 ball. Niels’ escape left the 1 conveniently positioned for Orcollo who knocked it in to set up a run out. However, the Filipino missed the green 6 down the rail and Feijen grabbed the chance to dish up the final three balls to regain the lead.

But Feijen had a bad break where he was forced to push out with the brown 7, obscuring the 1 ball. His push down table was badly weighted and the cue ball seemed to roll off into the pocket to give Orcollo a gift of ball in hand. He didn’t hesitate to run the table to square the match anew.

There was another ball in hand opportunity in the ninth as Feijen potted the 1 ball but scratched into the middle pocket. The Filipino speedily dispatched the table to take the lead at 5-4.

There was more of the same from Orcollo in the tenth game as he broke and run to put a two rack margin between himself and Feijen.

Orcollo pushed out in the next frame and Feijen got the better of the safety battle. Desperately needing it, Feijen cleared the table to reduce the deficit to 6-5.

The Dutchman pushed out in the next, potting the 2 ball with the yellow 1 obscured. But Orcollo banked the 1 ball into the middle pocket to set up a run out to reach the hill at 7-5.

But Orcollo was forced to push out in the next break as the 1 ball was blocked by the 8, forcing him to push out. With a kick shot on the 1 ball the only option, Feijen put him back in and Orcollo left a very tough long pot on the 1 ball for the Dutchman. Feijen missed it and the Filipino deftly caromed the 1 in off the 9 with the 9 ball rolling over the middle pocket and leaving the 2 in easy position for the winning combo.