5 Pinoys ready for Derby City Classic action

FIVE Filipino cue masters have already signed in for the 2018 Derby City Classic scheduled on January 19 to 27 at the Horseshoe Southern Indiana in Elizabeth, Indiana, USA.

Leading the squad is former world champion Dennis Orcollo who will be defending his crowns in the Derby City Classic 9-Ball Division and the Derby City Classic Master of the Table.

Joining him in the list are 2004 World 9-Ball Championship winner Alex Pagulayan, Roberto Gomez, Lee Vann Corteza and former World 9Ball and World 8-Ball titlist Ronnie Alcano.

The Derby City Classic has four events – the 9Ball, One-Pocket, 9-Ball Banks and the Bigfoot 10-Ball Challenge.

The player with the most number of points after the four events will be declared as the Master of the Table.

Besides Orcollo, Francisco “Django” Bustamante will also defend his crown in the Derby City Classic 9-Ball Banks.

The 9-Ball Banks begins on January 19 while the One-Pocket starts on January 21 followed by the Bigfoot 10-Ball Challenge on January 22.

The main 9-Ball event will run from January 24 to July 27.

American Billy Thorpe is the reigning OnePocket champion while Jayson Shaw of Scotland holds the crown in the Bigfoot 10-Ball Challenge.

Meanwhile, two Filipinos are in the Top 10 of the World-Pool Billiard Association world rankings.

Reigning World 9-Ball champion Carlo Biado is the highest Filipino in the list at seventh place with 18,925 points while Jeffrey De Luna is at ninth with 16,924 points.

Pagulayan is in 14th with 14,047 points while AllJapan titlist Johann Chua is 18th with 12,667 points.

The other Filipinos in the list are No. 21 Roland Garcia (12,002), No. 26 Warren Kiamco (10,427), No. 34 Jeffrey Ignacio (9,112), No. 36 Dennis Orcollo (8,405), No. 39 Lee Vann Corteza (8,022), No. 81 Ramil Gallego (3,587), and Edwin Gamas and Jundel Mazon at 86th with the same 3,510 points.