Alcano, Orcollo advance in 10-Ball

MANILA, Philippines - Ronnie Alcano and Dennis Orcollo rolled into the 64-player knockout stage of the World 10-Ball Championships in varying fashions even as reversals marred the second day of action in the World Trade Center in Pasay City yesterday.

Alcano, who beat Kuwait’s Khaled Al Mutairi, 9-5, Tuesday to open his bid for a rare grand slam, went through some anxious moments before thwarting Toh Lian Han of Singapore, 9-6, to reach the next phase. He needed to stamp his class in the last three racks to shatter the 6-all count and whisk off Han’s upset bid.

“I wasn’t playing well even yesterday (Tuesday),” said Alcano, winner of the 9-ball and 8-ball titles in 2006 and 2007, respectively, in Filipino. “I’m just glad I got past the group stage and into the knockout round where I hope to do better.”

In contrast, Orcollo had an easier time disposing of Max Eberle of the US, 9-2, to become the first Filipino player in the money round.

The reigning World 8-ball king and gold medalist in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games imposed his will early, sweeping the first eight racks and keeping Eberle in his seat.

But a dry break on the ninth enabled the American to steal two racks although he lost the initiative, the game and the match to Orcollo after a series of safety exchanges in the 11th.

“I was hoping to have an easy game because I want to rest and relax going into the next round. But things like this happen and I’m still happy I still won,” said Orcollo.

But while Alcano, 39, and Orcollo advanced, reigning world No. 1 Antonio Lining and fancied German Thorsten Hohmann absorbed stinging setbacks from obscure rivals.

Artem Koschovy, a relative newcomer from Ukraine, stunned Lining on the TV table, dominating the Filipino champion and completing a 9-5 victory.

“I guess I would rest after this and do some shopping to celebrate this win,” said Koschovy.

Lining, for his part, offered no excuses.

“There’s no excuse but my breaks and pocketing were really bad,” he said.

Hohman, who recently topped the Philippine Open 9-ball Championship, also got a big surprise from unheralded Venezuelan Youseff Jalal, who hacked out a 9-7 victory.

Defending champion Mika Immonen of Finland, meanwhile, cruised past local bet Ruben Cuna, 9-3, to lead the surge of the fancied bets in the weeklong tournament.

Former world champion Thomas Engert of Germany and double world champion Wu Jia Qing of China (the former Wu Chia Ching) also got through the next round with a pair of convincing victories.

Engert, a former World Straight Ball and World 9-Ball titlist, subdued Francis Diaz-Pizzaro, 9-6, while Wu, back after a three-year absence, played true to form in dumping 17-year-old Jonas Magpantay, 9-4.

Tony Drago of Malta posted the quickest win, blasting Radoslaw Babica of Poland, 9-1, in 35 minutes.