Orcollo Wins Myanmar Southeast Asian Games 10-ball Event

by Marlon Bernardino

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino ace Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo nabbed the gold medal at the Men's 10 Ball competition of the 27th Southeast Asian Games-Myanmar 2013  at the Wunna Theikdi Billiards Hall in Naypyitaw, Myanmar.

Orcollo won the next three racks to beat fellow Bugsy International Promotions stablemate Carlo "The Black Tiger" Biado to scored a come-from-behind 9-7 victory on Wednesday to pocketed the men’s 10-ball singles title, ending the drought in billiards.

The former fisherman from Bislig, Surigao del Sur Orcollo, earlier beat Brunei’s Ahmad Taufiq Murni, 9-5; Nitiwat Kanjanasri of Thailand, 9-3; and Vietnam’s Anh Tuan Nguyen, 9-4, to arrange an all-Filipino final.

Biado, on the other hand, subdued Riyan Setiawan of Indonesia, 9-5; Keng Kwang Chan of Singapore, 9-4; and Thanh Kien Dang of Vietnam, 9-3.Both players have been supported by Bugsy Promotions of Perry and Verna Mariano.

The gold was the first for the Philippine Billiards team after they stumbled in Mens and Women's 9 Ball and in One Cushion Billiards.

Meanwhile, Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit and Iris "Fighter" Ranola will attempt to go for gold again in the Women's 10 Ball competition on Thursday. Amit, the reigning world 10 Ball champ, won silver in 9 Ball while Ranola, who lost her father to cancer on the day she flew to Myanmar, is trying to put aside her personal grief in the hopes of bringing joy to the nation.

Double World Champion 'Bata' Reyes to grace Ynares 10-ball billiardsfest

by Marlon Bernardino

A wide open race looms when the much awaited first invitational of the Mayor Boyet Ynares 10-ball billiards championship on December 28, 2013 at the Binangonan Recreation and Conference Center in Binangonan, Rizal.

Top cue artists from Metro Manila and the provinces will converge at 10 a.m. for the one-day 10-ball invitational event hosted by Binangonan, Rizal Mayor Boyet Ynares in close cooperation with Puyat Sports and supported by Philippine Billiards God Father Aristeo "Putch" Puyat.

Filipino hall of famer and double world champion Efren "Bata" Reyes, top player of Puyat Sports will grace the simple opening ceremony prior to the start of the competition.

Reyes who bagged the World 9-ball tiara in 1999 in Cardiff, Wales and World 8-ball title in 2004 in Fujairah, UAE will also play former Southeast Asian Games gold medallist Victor Arpilleda in an exhibition match in one of the highlight of the said affair. 

Ramon "Maestro Monching" Mistica, who beat another Filipino pool legend Jose "Amang" Parica in the mid 80's is the tournament director in the said billiardsfest, which aims to promote billiards in the grassroots-level and to discover future world champion.

The field is limited to eight (8) players. Among those who signed up and invited pool wizards are Edgar "Malabon" Acaba, Romeo "Salamin" Del Rosario, Rodrigo "Edgie Marilao" Geronimo, Kenken Arpilleda, Danny Joy Trazona, Alex Lumpay, Tata "Puti" Bautista and former World Junior of pool 3rd placer Jonas Magpantay.