DENNIS ORCOLLO PREPARES FOR WPC

EVEN AS HE LANDS IN THE "GROUP OF DEATH"

FILIPINO DENNIS ORCOLLO is not worried, having landed in the bracket called "Group of Death" in the upcoming 2007 World Pool Championships. The WPC gets underway on November 3 to 11 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

"Ok lang kahit sino ang makalaban ko, kailangan lamang talaga ng puspusang paghahanda at dapat samahan tayo ng suwerte kasi 9 ball yan eh tapos winner's break pa," Orcollo said referring his participation in this prestigious World 9-ball event supported by San Miguel Corporation, PAGCOR and Department of Tourism (DOT). This tournament offers US$100,000 to the champion, where 45 countries are represented.

The 28-year-old former fisherman in Bislig, Surigao del Sur, is preparing to meet some of the world's best in his Group 13 matches that include young but very dangerous Shane Van Boening, one of the rising star of the United States who beat Orcollo in the finals of International Predator 10-ball early this year in Florida.

Also included are Marcus Chamat of Sweden who stopped the Cinderella run of Filipino Marlon Manalo in the 2004 WPC in Taiwan. The unassuming Manalo was definitely the surprise package of the 2004 WPC as he beat Ching-Shun Yang, Francisco Bustamante and Efren Reyes of the Philippines in successive matches before going out in the last eight to Chamat.

Pat Holtz of Scotland, Wojciech Trajdos of Poland, Masaaki Tanaka of Japan, Kenny Kwok of Hongkong and Manila Qualifier 8 also included in the Group 13 matches.

"I think 'yung bracket nina Dennis (Orcollo) at Shane (Boening) y'ung mabigat at ito na marahil ang Group of Death," said Yen Makabenta, tournament organizer and president of Raya Sports events. "Mabigat din 'yung field ni Django (Bustamante) at Nikoy (Lining)," added Makabenta, also the chairman of the BSCP.

The format calls 16 groups of eight players playing in double elimination matches. The eight players in each group will play a total of 10 matches between them. Two successive wins will see a player advance into the last 64 while two straight defeats will mean elimination from the 128 man field event. The final set of the matches in the group will feature players with one win and one defeat with the winners advancing and losers eliminated. All matches are race-to-9, winner break format.

This format is designed to "avoid game fixing" in the group stage match according to the tournament organizer.

Francisco "Django" Bustamante, runner-up in the 2002 WPC edition in Cardiff seeing in action in Group 9 along with compatriot Antonio "Nikoy" Lining, former world 9-ball champ Oliver Ortmann of Germany, ex-US open winner Corey Deuel of the United States, Jeong Young-hwa of Korea, Pham Tuan Ngoc of Vietnam, Wetsi Morake of Republic of South Africa and John Wims of Ireland.

Current WPA 9-ball and WPA 8-ball champ Ronato Alcano is in Group 1, 1999 Cardiff WPC winner Efren "Bata" Reyes is in Group 6 while 2004 Taiwan WPC ruler Alex Pagulayan is in Group 8.

Reigning national champion Lee Vann Corteza join 2001 Cardiff WPC champ Mika Immonen of Finland in Group 12 while 2006 US Open runner-up Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat is in Group 16 with heavyweight Niels Feijen of the Netherlands and Dharminder Lilly of India.

Marlon Manalo, former Asian snooker champion turned pro billiard is in Group 14 along with 2006 Manila WPC semi-finalist Li He Wen of China, former world trickshot champ Fabio Petroni of Italy, and 2002 Cardiff WPC winner Earl Strickland of the USA.

Joven Bustamante, 2007 Korea Pro Tour champ is in Group 4 together with Asian Superstar Taiwanese Ching Shun-yang and Filipino-Malaysian Ibrahim Bin Amir, carrying Malaysian flag.

Jeffrey de Luna, 2006 Doha Asian games 9-ball silver medalist is in Group 5 with 2003 Cardiff WPC winner Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, and Filipino-Canadian Edwin Montal, representing Canada.

The crown Prince of Brunei Al Muhtadee Billah, who made it to the Group of 64 in the last year's edition is in Group 10 along with 2005 Taiwan WPC runner-up Ku Po-cheng of Taiwan.

Billiard expert said that Group 3 also a tough field that includes 2005 Taiwan WPC ruler Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan, 2005 Manila SEA Games 9-ball gold winner Luong Chi-doung of Vietnam, 2006 US Open champ John Schmidt of the USA, Radoslaw Babica of Poland and Vilmos Foldes of Hungrary, former three-time world junior champion.

Another two former world 9-ball champion Johnny Archer of the USA and Chao Fong-pao of Taiwan are the same bracket in Group 15.

(Report from MARLON BERNARDINO)