Dennis Orcollo pockets SEA Games 10-ball gold

BACK ON TOP. Dennis Orcollo outlasts Vietnamese The Kien Do in a thrilling 10-ball finale. Photo by Alecs Ongcal/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino cue artist Dennis Orcollo broke his four-year Southeast Asian Games championship drought on Monday, December 9, capturing the gold medal in the men’s 10-ball tournament at the Manila Hotel Tent.

Despite the fulfilling victory, the 40-year-old Surigao native had to earn the win the hard way, pulling off 9-8 escape as he engaged in a neck-and-neck battle with The Kien Do of Vietnam.

In a back-and-forth contest that lasted for nearly 3 hours, Orcollo took a crucial 8-7 lead in the 15th set. However, Do scored an equalizer soon after, forcing a deciding 17th rack in the race-to-9 game.

Orcollo got the best of his Vietnamese foe in the final rack, emerging triumphant in a safety contest to clean out the table and stake claim of the regional biennial meet’s 10-ball championship.

However, Orcollo started the day on a harsh note as he yielded to Singaporean standout Aloysius Yapp in the men’s 9-ball quarterfinal round, 4-9

Seasoned veteran Warren Kiamco also suffered the same fate, losing at the hands of Toh Lian Han, 4-9, bowing out of the tourney.

In snooker, Jefrey Roda settled for bronze medal as he failed to advance to the finals, dropping a 1-4 defeat to Moh Keen Ho.

Chezka Centeno and Rubilen Amit wrapped up the day by booking a spot in the finals of the women’s 9-ball doubles, beating the Indonesian duo of Angeline Ticoalu and Silviana Lu, 7-3. – Rappler.com