CORTEZA BEATS ORCOLLO; EYES BSCP NATIONAL OPEN TITLE VS GERONIMO

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—LEE VANN “The Slayer” Corteza leaned on a strong start to repulse 2009 Predator International 10-Ball Champion Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo, 9-7, on Tuesday to advance to the final round of the 4th Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) National Championships here at the famous Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City.
The Davao City native Corteza, top player of Jonathan Sy’s Negros Billiard Stable will battle Bugsy Promotion bet Rodrigo “Edgie Marilao” Geronimo in the finals, after the latter edged former Southeast Asian Games 9-ball gold medallist Victory Arpilleda, 9-7, in their semifinals duel. Corteza’s hard-earned victory prevented what could have been an all-Bugsy Promotions final.

“I was lucky I was able to lead early, it’s tiring to make ground when you are too far behind”, said Corteza, who lost to Mika “The Iceman” Immonen of Finland in the finals of this year’s World Ten Ball Championships last month at the World Trade Center.
Corteza, multiple Southeast Asian Games gold medallist, jumped off to a 4-1 to 7-3 start and was seriously threatened going to the final canto after Orcollo, prize figther of Perry Mariano’s Bugsy Promotions clustered four straight racks to tied the match at 7-all in this race-to-9, winner’s break format after Corteza made a miscue in the red 3 ball in the 11th racks.

On the road to the finals, Corteza start his bid in a wrong foot after losing his first round match to NBS stablemate Elmer Haya, 8-9.

However, Corteza bravely cameback in the loser’s brackets beating William Millares, 9-1, Romeo del Rosario,9-4, Oliver Villafuerte,9-7, Godofredo Ducanes,9-4, Elmer Haya via default, Roland dela Cruz,9-6, John Salazar,9-7, Roberto Gomez, 9-8 and Cebuano Marvin Tapia,9-4, to face Orcullo in the final four.

Geronimo, meantime won his first round match against Jech Limen, 9-6, but bowed to defending champion Marlon Manalo, 6-9, in the second round and came back in the loser’s side beating Jomel Sultan, 9-6, Leonardo Didal,9-5, Elmer Haya,9-5,Mario Tolentino,9-5, Benjie Guevarra,9-7, Michael Feliciano,9-6, Rocky Tullao, 9-6, Ronato Alcano, 9-6, and Carlo Biado, 9-6, to meet Arpilleda in other semifinal duel.

Manalo, on the other hand lost to Japan based Antonio “Nickoy” Lining, 9-8, and John Salazar, 9-8, in order to booted out in this double elimination format.

In the women’s divisions, last year’s champion Zemonnette Oryan of Iloilo City and Mica Claveria of NBS hurdle their respective rivals to face each other in the finals late Tuesday. Oryan, the 2008 Reno WPA World Junior for girls bronze medallist subdued Floriza Andal of Laguna, 9-7, while Claveria from Bacolod City stamped her class in another 9-7 triumph over Jingle David of Pasay City.

The champion in the mens division will bring home P100,000 while the winner in the womens play will get P15,000 in this three-day event (December 20 to 22), hosted by long-time billiards patron Sebastian “Baste” Chua in close cooperation with Raya Sports and backed up by congressman Bongbong Marcos.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.