Five veteran cue players spearheaded by Dennis Orcollo bested their respective foes on Sunday to stay in the title hunt of the World Pool Series-Molinari Players 8-Ball Championships in New York City.
The multi-titled Orcollo cruised to easy victories in the 128-man field against Albania’s Klenti Kaci, 13-3, United States’ Jorge Rodriguez, 13-4, and India’s Raj Hundal, 13-5.
The 37-year-old 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games gold medalist will be facing Billy Thorpe in the Round of 16, the American player who squeaked past Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan, 13-12, in the knockout tournament.
Johann Chua also displayed the strength of the Philippine contingent by advancing to the Round of 16 with a 13-11 win over United States’ Rodney Morris. His earlier triumphs came at the expense of Canada’s Adam Cormier, 13-2, and Raphael Dabreo of the United States, 13-8.
Up next for Chua is Great Britain’s Jayson Shaw, who dumped Frances’ Stephen Cohen, 13-9.
Lee Van Corteza, likewise, booked a berth in the Last 16 with a 13-8 win over Greece’s Nick Ekonomopoulos, but the multiple Southeast Asian Games medalist will have his hands full as he meets the winner between compatriot Ramil Gallego and Finland’s Mika Immonen in the next round.
Gallego clinched victories over Norway’s Matias Saetre, 13-5, and India’s Amar Kang, 13-12.
Carlo Biado, who earned and opening-round bye, also made it to the Round of 16 with a 13-11 triumph of United Kingdom’s Mark Gray. He earlier beat Alain Da Costa of France, 13-8.
Hall of Famer Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Israel Rota, however, made a quick exit after falling to their respective rivals.
Bustamante lost to Hungary’s Vilmos Foldes, 13-11, in the first round, while Rota yielded in the second round with a 13-11 loss to American Brandon Shuff.