Orcullo reaches World 8-Ball final

MANILA, Philippines –  Dennis Orcullo, the hottest Filipino pool master as of late, is on the verge of winning another major title as he made the final of the 2011 World 8-Ball Championship at the Fujairah Exhibition Center in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Orcullo, among the Athletes of the Year to be feted by the Philippine Sportswriters Association Saturday, topped Takhti Zarekani, 9-2, in the quarterfinals then whipped David Alcaide, 9-3, in the semifinals Friday to get a crack at the championship.

The Guangzhou Asian Games 9-ball singles gold medalist battles Dutchman Neils Feijen in the final.

Feijen sets out for the title match riding the momentum of a mind-boggling 9-0 blanking of Englishman Darren Appleton in the Final Four.

Appleton was the man who torpedoed a possible all-Filipino finale in easing out Ronnie Alcano, 9-8, in the Round of 16.

Alcano, a former World 9-Ball and World 8-Ball champion, rallied from a four-rack deficit but lost the hill-hill battle, thus leaving Orcullo as the last Filipino standing.

Also failing to make it past the Last 16 were Oliver Medinilla and Joven Alba.

Nonetheless, a Filipino may still end up winning the top honors.

Being a former world top-ranked player, Orcullo is favored versus Feijen.

Before blanking Appleton, Feijen went through the proverbial eye of the needle in the quarterfinals, nipping Nick Van den Berg, 9-8.

Van den Berg conceded the match after missing a semi-touch cut in a hill-hill encounter.