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It's Official: Orcollo is an International Champion
Oct 4, 2006, 9:07 AM

Dennis Orcollo, the 27 year-old from Surigao City, Philippines is the 2006 PartyCasino.com World Pool League Champion as he overcame Holland's Niels Feijen in central Warsaw on Sunday evening.

The diminutive Orcollo, had played well throughout the three day, six-man tournament and was a deserved winner of the $20,000 top prize. He joins the likes of Jim Rempe, Efren Reyes, Thorsten Hohmann, Rodney Morris and Francisco Bustamante as winners of this coveted invitational trophy.

Both players strode into the full arena with an air of determination and with the format now winner breaks it was Feijen who won the lag and nicely cleared the table to take the early lead.

Orcollo leveled the score though, and stole the break as he set up a run out from an excellent long cut on the 2 ball.

Orcollo took the lead in the next and he looked very confident moving the cue ball around the table. There was more of the same in the fourth rack as Orcollo ran out from the break to increase his lead to 3-1.

Feijen regained the table when Orcollo pushed out and left enough of the 1 ball visible for the Dutchman to pot it. He took it on and set up a run out to reduce the lead to a single rack.

A good break from Feijen left him with no pot on the 1 ball though, and he played a snooker. Orcollo managed to connect with the 1 but failed to hit a rail, giving ball in hand. Feijen made no mistakes as he cleared up to level the match at 3-3.

Feijen potted a ball off the break but his safety on the 1 ball was weak and it allowed Orcollo to tuck the cue ball behind the 3 ball. Niels' escape left the 1 conveniently positioned for Orcollo who potted it to set up a run out. Disastrously though, he missed the green 6 down the rail and Feijen grabbed the chance to dish up the final three balls to regain the lead.

There was no joy for Feijen off his next break and he was forced to push out with the brown 7 obscuring the 1 ball. His push down table was badly weighted and the cue ball seemed to roll off into the pocket to give Orcollo a gift of ball in hand. He didn't hesitate to run the table to square the match.

There was another ball in hand opportunity in the ninth as Feijen potted the 1 ball but scratched into the middle pocket. The Filipino speedily dispatched the table to take the lead at 5-4.

There was more of the same from Orcollo in the tenth game as he broke and run to put a two rack margin between himself and Feijen.

Orcollo pushed out in the next frame and Feijen got the better of the safety battle. Desperately needing it, Feijen cleared the table to reduce the deficit to 6-5.

The Dutchman pushed out in the next, potting the 2 ball with the yellow 1 obscured. Orcollo clearly liked the situation as he banked the 1 ball into the middle pocket to set up a run out to reach the hill at 7-5.

There was no joy for Orcollo in the next as the 1 ball was blocked out by the 8, forcing him to push out. With a kick shot on the 1 ball the only option, Feijen put him back in and Orcollo left a very tough long pot on the 1 ball for the Dutchman. Feijen missed it and the Filipino deftly caromed the 1 in off the 9.

Just when luck was needed, Orcollo enjoyed probably the biggest slice all week as the 9 ball rolled over the middle pocket leaving the 2 in easy position for the combo.

Orcollo stepped up to the plate to sink the match winning 2/9 combination to claim the 2006 PartyCasino.com World Pool League title.

Orcollo leapt with delight at his victory, whooping and dancing around the table as the capacity crowd rose to their feet.

An emotional Orcollo said, 'I'd like to thank the Philippines community in Warsaw for coming out and supporting me.

"This victory is very, very big for me, I can hardly speak. I'd like to dedicate this win to the people of the Philippines," he added.

Feijen commented, "I was playing good all week but Dennis had too much for me tonight. It was a great game though."

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