Filipinos Dominate Predator 10-Ball
Filipinos Dominate Predator 10-Ball
May 16, 2009, 12:25 AM
http://www.billiardsdigest.com/new_news/display_article.php?id=1434
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- With five Filipinos among the 32 players that advanced to single-elimination play at the Predator International 10-Ball Championship, nobody would have been surprised if one advanced to the semifinals. With the contingent from across the Pacific playing fantastic pool, maybe even two would push through to the final four. But three?
That's exactly what happened on Friday night inside the Riviera Hotel & Casino, as Dennis Orcollo, Alex Pagulayan and Warren Kiamco nearly turned the International 10-Ball event into a decidedly national affair.
Breaking up the Filipino monopoly, Ralf Souquet turned in a dominant performance against Johnny Archer on the featured TV table. The steely German, after some early breaking woes, found the key to pocketing balls on the break. From that point on, Souquet ran away from Archer, eventually closing out the match, 11-3.
Pagulayan, meanwhile, locked up with young Englishman Karl Boyes in a tightly contested match. The two split the first 18 racks, before Pagulayan was able to take the final two racks for an 11-9 victory.
Orcollo, who lost to Shane Van Boening in the final of this event in 2007, has been consistently brilliant in single-elimination. He has strung together a trio of 11-6 wins over reigning champion Tony Drago, Rodolfo Luat and Charlie Williams.
The semifinal matches will kick off on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. MST. Orcollo and Kiamco will square off, while the stoic Souquet takes on the more animated Pagulayan.
