Orcollo books spot in Last 32

MANILA, Philippines - Dennis Orcollo, one of the last to book a spot in the knockout stage, trounced Hong Kong’s Andrew Kong, 11-8, to be among the first to advance to the Last 32 phase of the World 9-Ball Championship in Doha, Qatar yesterday.

Orcollo, who dominated compatriot Raymund Faraon, 9-2, in the final day of elims Tuesday, stamped his class over Kong early in the race-to-11, alternate format stage then held on to complete the victory to join five others who breezed through the second round of the tournament proper.

German ace Ralf Souquet trampled Albania’s Nikolaos Malaj, 11-4, Fu Che Wei of Chinese-Taipei scored an 11-3 rout over Serbia’s Andrea Kiasovic, Hsu Kai Lun, also of Taiwan, blasted Aki Heiskanen of Finland, while Italy’s Bruno Muratore booted out Jayson Shaw, 11-6, in early results.

Marlon Caneda was the first to fall in the Phl side in the knockout phase, losing to veteran campaigner Nick Van den Berg of the Netherlands, 6-11.

The rest of the 13 Filipinos who made it to the Last 64 were still playing at presstime.

Jundel Mazon, who ousted the last US hope Shane Van Boening in the elims, was lined up against former two-time world champion Ronnie Alcano in the Last 64.

Other matches pit Francisco “Django” Bustamante against old rival Chao Fong-Pang of Chinese Taipei, Efren “Bata” Reyes against Singapore’s Lian Han Toh, Roberto Gomez versus Chinese Liu Haitao, Joven Alba against Taiwan’s Chang Jung Lin, Carlo Biado versus Ohi Naoyuki of Japan, Elvis Casalsang against John Morra of Canada, Antonio Gabica versus Austrian Mario He, Israel Rota against Chinese Han Hao Xiang and Lee Van Corteza against Belgium’s Serge Das.