Alcano, Orcollo, Kiamco enter quarters

Defending champion Ronnie Alcano outplayed reigning World 9-ball titlist Darryl Peach, 10-5, Wednesday night to tow two other Filipino bets into the quarterfinal round of the World 8-Ball Championship at the Amir Billiards Center in Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates.

Alcano, bidding to become the first player to retain a world crown in 17 years, earlier repulsed compatriot Roberto Gomez in the Last 32, pulling off a scary 10-8 win to arrange a Last 16 clash with Peach, who blanked Fahad Mohammadi, 10-0.

Reigning world No.1 Dennis Orcollo and veteran internationalist Warren Kiamco disposed of their respective rivals to join Alcano in the quarters.

Orcollo beat Jianbo Fu, 10-7, in the first round of the knockout phase then dominated Taiwanese Wang Hung Hsiang, 10-6, to set up a quarterfinal duel with Kiamc, who whipped Hanni Al Howri, 10-0, and thwarted Poland’s Radislaw Babica, 10-7.

Alan Cuartero, however, failed to advance after stunning former world 9-ball champion Wu Chia Ching of Taiwan, 10-8, as he bowed to Dmitri Jungo, 8-10, in the Last 16.

“It’s only three wins away from defending my title, but I’m not looking at that. My focus is to take it one game at a time,” said the 35-year-old Alcano.

Before foiling Peach’s bid at becoming just the third player to hold both the world 9-ball and 8-ball titles at the same time, Alcano needed to whisk off the challenge of Gomez at the start of the knockout stage.

“Too bad, I drew Alcano this early,” said Gomez, the 2007 World 9-ball runner-up. “I just hope that he will go all the way. I’m confident on his chances.”

Alcano was set to play Italian Bruno Muratore in the quarterfinals slated last night.

Muratored advance after upending reigning world 10-ball ruler Shane Van Boening of the United States, 10-7, in the Last 16.

The other quarterfinals matches pit Sweden’s Marcus Chamat and Jungo, and former world champion Ralf Souquet of Germany against England’s Chris Melling.

Chamat gained by beating Kasper Kristoffersen of Norway, 10-5, in the Last 16, where Souquet edged world no. 2 Neils Feijen of the Netherlands, 10-9, and Melling outpointed Marcus Westen of Germany, 10-8.