Corteza, Orcollo cop WCup title

MANILA, Philippines - Lee Vann Corteza and Dennis Orcollo blew a three-rack lead but fought back from one down at endgame then pounced on Nick Van den Berg’s costly miscue on the 18th rack as the Philippines edged Holland, 10-8, clinch the World Cup of Pool crown in Bethnal Green, East London Sunday night.

Corteza and Orcollo, drawing inspiration from the Filipino fans at the York Hall, seized control early in the race-to-10 championship, 6-3, but the Dutch pair of Niels Feijen and Van den Berg battled back in the winners-break format, even seizing an 8-7 lead, only to crack under pressure in a nerve-wracking finale, enabling the Filipinos to snatch the crown, the Philippines’ third in the eight-year history of the event.

“There was a lot of pressure and things became very difficult but the Filipino community in London who supported us throughout really helped us through,” said Orcollo.

“I reached the final of the World Cup in Manila in 2010 but we came up short so it is fantastic to win here in London. I would love it for me and Lee Vann to defend the World Cup in the Philippines next year as it would be a dream come true to win it again in our home country,” he added.

Orcollo and Corteza took the top $60,000 (P2.6 million) purse and the crown won twice by the fancied Efren Reyes-Francisco Bustamante tandem in 2006 and 2009.

Orcollo and Corteza, who beat their rivals from Croatia, Singapore and Hungary to reach the semis, toppled Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Jung-lin and Ko Pin-yi, 9-7, in the Final Four while Holland trounced Finland, 9-4, to advance to the finals.