3 Filipinos enter World Pool Series Last 16

FORMER world champion Alex Pagulayan along with two other Filipino players advanced to the Last 16 of the prestigious 2017 World Pool Series - Grand Finale being held at the Steinway Billiards in Astoria, New York.

Pagulayan, the 2004 World 9Ball titlist, survived American Justin Bergman via a thrilling 9- 8 decision to stay undefeated in three games in the tournament sanctioned by the World PoolBilliard Association.

Joining Pagulayan are Dennis Orcollo and Jeffrey De Luna, who hurdled past their respective rivals in the losers’ bracket to earn spots in the next round.

Orcollo bowed to Petri Makkonen of Ireland in the third round (9-6) but recovered with an impressive 91 victory over Zion Zvi of Israel in the do-or-die game while De Luna suffered a 5-9 loss to American Shaun Wilkie in the third round then ousted compatriot Lee Vann Corteza in the rubber match (9-7)

However, Pagulayan and Orcollo will be facing each other in the Last 16 while De Luna battles Alex Kazakis of Greece in the other scheduled game.

Besides Corteza, teammates Johann Chua, Ronnie Alcano, Carlo Biado, Warren Kiamco, Roberto Gomez and James Zoren Aranas were also booted out in the $65,000 event, which offers $14,000 to the champion and $7,500 to the runner-up.

Chua lost to Chris Melling of Great Britain ( 3- 9), Alcano bowed to Jayson Shaw of Scotland ( 8- 9), Kiamco was beaten by Damianos Giallourakis of Greece ( 5- 9), Aranas fell short against Kai Lun Hsu of Taiwan (4-9), Gomez yielded to Imran Majid of Great Britain ( 3- 9) and Biado faltered against Zvi ( 5- 9).

The other players in the Last 16 are Wilkie, Shaw, Makkonen, Melling, Giallourakis, American Frankie Hernandez, Ruslan Chinakov of Russia, Klenti Kaci of Albania, and Taiwanese Ko Pin Yi, Chang Jung Lin, Chang Yu Lung and Wu Kun Lin.