ORCOLLO

Dennis Orcollo saved Team Philippines for the second straight game as the Filipinos turned back Poland, 4-2, and moved two wins away from snaring the 1st World Team Pool Championship in Hannover, Germany.

The Philippines looked on course for a breezy win when it opened a comfortable 3-0 lead on the strength of victories by the twin tandems of Ronnie Alcano-Marlon Manalo and Orcollo-Warren Kiamco in the 8-ball Scotch doubles, 6-4, and 6-3, and Antonio Lining’s 8-3 rout of Mariusz Skoneczny in the first 9-ball play.

The Polish, however, didn’t give up easily and even threatened at 2-3, after scoring consecutive wins by Mateusz Sniegocki, who trounced Alcano, 8-4, in the second 9-ball game and Karol Skowerski, who humbled two-time national pool championship Lee Vann Corteza, 7-5, in the first 10-ball play.

But the 31-year-old Orcollo stepped up big time again, averting what could have been a 3-all deadlock that could have forced a sudden death shootout, by frustrating Radoslaw Babica, 7-3, in the last 10-ball play.

“Again, expectations were very high when I played the deciding match,” said Orcollo’s manager Perry Mariano over an oversees call, quoting Orcollo. “But I managed to cope with it well and did not make any mistake, which enabled me to win the match.”

A former fisherman of Bislig, Surigao del Sur, Orcollo also saved the Philippines in the same situation when it downed Norway, 4-2, Friday to reach the Last 8 of the tournament held in the Hall 13 of the Hannover Exhibition Grounds.

Before reaching the Final Four, the Philippines also beat Czech Republic, 4-1, for a slot in the Final 16, blanked Great Britain II, 4-0, in the opener.  — Francis Santiago