Billiards: Alcano leads RP Team against Great Britain

MANILA, Feb. 8 (PNA) -- Pool shark Ronato Alcano has erupted and everybody at the Hall 13 Hannover Exhibition Grounds is watching the crucial battle of Alcano and Russian hopeful Ruslan Chinahov.

The 48-nation tournament, the first of its kind and sanctioned by the World Pool Billiard Association (WPA), stakes a total purse of US$ 400,000 (roughly P19.2 million) and uses a point-system scoring patterned after the famous Davis Cup in international tennis where the champion team gets the lion’s share of US$ 100,000 (roughly P4.7 million) in the race-to-4 affair.

The Lanky Alcano from Calamba City, Laguna, one of the top players of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions, did not budge an inch to Russian foe Chinahov, 7-1, after securing a 7-1 demolition win to send Team Philippines into the finals of the World Team Pool Cup Championship in Hannover, Germany late Saturday.

Alcano, the former World 9-ball and 8-ball champion, helped the Nationals score a 4-1 victory over Russia by defeating Chinahov in the semifinals of the 1st 10-ball.

With the win, the Nationals will square off against Great Britain in the final round on Sunday (Manila time).

Bannered by reigning world 9-ball champion Darly Peach and former world 10-ball champion Darren Appleton, Great Britain eliminated Greece, 4-2, in another semifinal duel.

Alcano, unshaken by a loss in his previous outing teaming up with ex-snooker champion Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo in the 1st 8-ball Scotch doubles event by score 6-3.

"I was awakened by Marlon and mine's loss in the 8-ball Scotch Doubles," said Alcano in a long distance call to his long-time benefactor Bugsy Promotions president Ceferino "Perry" Mariano.

"I realized we can never be overconfident because anybody can beat anyone in an event of this magnitude," added Alcano, a former US Open 9-ball finalist.

Perry Mariano, founder of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) added, "In spite of Russia's winning ahead of us, I am sure Alcano and the rest will eventually prevail. As Yen (Macabenta) said, our bench is deep with strong and quality players," added Mariano, who follows the game live through the internet.

Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) chairman Florentino “Yen” Makabenta said, "We expect a tough battle against Great Britain, but I'm deadly sure our boys will triumph in the end."

Negros Billiards Stable (NBS) president and co-founder of BMPAP Jonathan “Bacolod” Sy said, "Let's pray harder for our victory because it will add to the country's coffer of honors." He is a long-time benefactor of Lee Vann Corteza and Warren Kiamco.

After the Filipinos backed up by the BSCP, Raya Sports, Bugsy Promotions and Negros Billiards Stable's loss in the 1st 8-ball Scotch doubles event, the pair of Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren "Warrior" Kiamco and former world no.1 Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, rebounded by winning their match by score 6-4 to level the count of 1-all in this race-to-4 affair.

Then two-time BSCP National Pool Championships ruler Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza and Japan-based Antonio "Nickoy" Lining, made it to 3-1 for the Philippines with similar 8-4 victories over Roman Pruchai and Egor Plishkin, respectively, in the 9-ball game, before Alcano stepped up by beating Chinahov for 4-1 total output.

Actually, Orcollo was leading 2-0 against Konstantin Stepanov in the second 10-ball game but was halted after Alcano triumphed in the 1st 10-ball game.

On the road to the finals, the undefeated Filipinos nipped England II (4-0), Czech Republic (4-1), Norway (4-2), Poland (4-2) and Russia (4-1) to arrange a titular showdown with Great Britain, who downed Norway (5-1), lost to Sweden (4-2), then blanked Israel (4-0) and Germany (4-0), and edged China (4-3) and Greece (4-2), respectively. (PNA)
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