REIGNING world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo recovered from a slow start to beat Eduardo Villanueva, 8-5, and barge into the knockout stage of the First Senate President Manny Villar Cup Billiards Tournament Wednesday at the Sports Center of StarMall Alabang in Muntinlupa City.

Orcollo, who is eyeing his third title this year after his back-to-back conquest of the San Miguel Beer-Quezon City 9-Ball Championship and the Japan 9-Ball Open in March, pocketed four consecutive racks to erase a 4-3 deficit and reach the hill.

He allowed Villanueva to take the 12th rack before running out the next frame to secure his second win in the P1-million event.

“Medyo masama ‘yung tira ko nung simula, mabuti na lang at naayos ko. Saka mahirap talagang kalaban ‘yan si Pikoy [Villanueva],” said the 29-year-old stalwart of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions.

The win put Orcollo in the Last 16, along with fellow Bugsy boys Gandy Valle, Carlo Biado and Jundel Mazon, as well as Rodolfo Luat and Elmer Haya of Jonathan Sy’s Negros Billiards Stable and Antonio Lining.

Valle, the 1998 Asian Games gold medalist and 2005 Asian Tour champion, kept his mastery of reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza with an 8-3 victory.

“Hindi ko alam kung bakit lagi akong sinuswerte kapag si Van-van [Corteza] ang kalaban,” said Valle, who just last month defeated Corteza in the finals of the Magnificent 7 Winner-Take-All tournament in Cebu . “Siguro kontrapelo s’ya sa akin. Pero magaling ‘yan at siguradong babawi ‘yan.”

Biado, who made a name following his successive wins over two-time world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Ronnie Alcano in the Quezon City 9-Ball, took the scalp of veteran internationalist Ramil Gallego, 8-2, while Mazon, who is coming off a runner-up finish at the Korean Pro Tour last week, upended former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren Kiamco, 8-5.

Luat, on the other hand, waylaid Russian Petiza, 8-2, while Haya subdued Benjie Guevarra, 8-3, and Lining outlasted 2007 World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez, 8-6.

Joven Bustamante trounced Roel Esquillo, 8-4, to earn a second-round meeting with Reyes, who drew a first-bye and will make his much-anticipated tournament debut today. The winner will be the eighth qualifier to the knockout stage, while the loser will meet Alcano in a do-or-die encounter.

In the Sipag at Tiyaga division, the field was trimmed to 64 players with Bugsy boys Jomar de Ocampo, Mike Takayama, Michael Feliciano, Renemar David, Emil Martinez, Egie Geronimo, Richard Pornelosa and Patrick Gonzales showing the way.

The other qualifiers to the knockout stage include Macky Leyba, Ernesto Sarmiento, Rolan de la Cruz, Romeo Sylvano, Eric Rodriguez, Ato Baliton, Danny Otacan, Eljun Abellana, Murphy Baroa, Chris Bombita, Michael Bolusan and Assunta Espejo.

 Johnson Vita, Jonald Garcia, Manolo Tanasas, Jireh Dugayo, Ryan Cimafranca, Benson Palce, JR Rubio, Danny Tayo, Rommel Gulen, Romeo Villanueva, Jech Limen, Alex Balintawak, JR Sorio, Allan Villa, Joel Bacunawa, Romeo Cornista, Ricky Gamboa, Roberto Dy, Dem Pulpul, Joey Pardales, Ryan Maglasang, John Rebong, Aldren Pajares, Roland Garcia, Ramon Masagkay, Marvin Gentapa, Reynante Andres, Henry Aldemida, Aram Serquinao, William Millares, Zoren Bantayan, Manuel Caro, Bernard Napiri, Mark Malayan, Rutchel Padal, Jarry Pelayo, Michael Piedad, Eric Navarrete, Arnel Bautista, Romar Villones, Steve Villamil, Mike Delgado, Romeo Dimatulac and Regienald Cortez.

Strong Signal

LOS ANGELES—Finally, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for Kobe Bryant.

Regarded as the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) best player for several years but never its most valuable, Bryant earned the honor at last on Tuesday after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference. He called the award a blessing and an honor and emphasized he wants another trophy this year.

San Mig Coffee reaches PBL semis

SAN MIG Coffee won’t allow another miraculous comeback by the hard-fighting Toyota Otis five.

The Coffee Kings played with more aggressiveness and cohesion in their do-or-die battle to secure a 64-68 win over the Sparks in a physical quarterfinal match Wednesday in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup at the Oreta Sports Center in Malabon City.

DEFENDING champion Stefano Marcelo of Maranello-San Miguel Corp.-Marcelo Racing is not the arrive-and-drive type of competitor but he did it for once—with much pizzazz—for his third-straight sweep of the recent 2008 Shell Karting Super Series at the Cebu Kart Zone in Cebu City.

REIGNING world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo recovered from a slow start to beat Eduardo Villanueva, 8-5, and barge into the knockout stage of the First Senate President Manny Villar Cup Billiards Tournament Wednesday at the Sports Center of StarMall Alabang in Muntinlupa City.

SOME 41 teams representing schools and football clubs have already signed up for this year’s Mosman Cup, slated on October 25 and 26 at the Nomad Sports Club in Merville Park, Parañaque.

THE second to the last time the Celtics were in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, I was out dancing in an Iloilo disco with Mon Fernandez, Freddie Hubalde, Willie Generalao, Padim Israel, Tony Torrente and a dozen or so Tanduay fans and Elizalde employees led by Jovie Valenzona, Coach Turo’s cousin.