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Could
Dennis Orcollo be rusty when he faces Yang Ching-Shun?
DENNIS
ORCOLLO has not played tournament billiards in three
weeks—which has Filipino pundits concerned he is
practically giving away his hometown advantage to
Taiwanese pool star Yang Ching-Shun in their duel this
April.
Orcollo
and Yang are facing off for the right to be called the
money-game king of the world from April 13 to 15 at the
Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City, but the RP pool
star’s inactivity has his fans worried.
The
reigning World Pool League champion, Orcollo has not
played competitively since the All Kansai 9-Ball Open in
Osaka,
Japan on
January 22.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s so-called “Son of Pool” has been in
tournaments—and lots of money-game matches—in his home
soil, with a good two months left before his
race-to-60-racks, 9-ball showdown with the Filipino cue
master.
The
winner will take home a modest $10,000, but the bragging
rights as the world’s top player with money on the line
is truly at stake.
Solar
Sports is producing the event for television, supported
by the Quezon City government of Mayor Sonny Belmonte
and the City Council led by Majority Leader Ariel Inton.
“Kinakalawang
ngayon si Dennis,” said Perry Mariano, Orcollo’s
manager. “The way I assess him now, he is not in his
100-percent fighting form, nasa 60 [percent]
lang siguro.”
“Ikaw
ba naman ang hindi makapaglaro sa tournament for
three weeks. Also, he hasn’t played a money game for
more than a month now,” added Mariano, whose Bugsy
Promotions is coorganizing the event with the Rocketman
Enterprises of Ramon Tuason.
To
negate Yang’s lead in preparation, Orcollo—28, like the
Taiwanese star—has been practicing 50 to 70 racks a day.
Mariano, however, thinks the odds will even out come
their duel.
“Come
April 13, Dennis will be in his tiptop form, as he has
promised na hindi n’ya ipapahiya ang Pilipinas.
He will be ready for Yang,” said Mariano.
“Pero
iba pa rin talaga ’yung may kalaban ka, lalo na ’yung
magagaling.” |
