Kiamco, 8 other Pinoys keep winning ways

CEBU, Philippines — Decorated Cebuano cue artist Warren Kiamco and eight other Pinoys sustained their sizzling run after Day 2 of the 2021 US Open 9-Ball Championship at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The 51-year-old Kiamco, a two-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist, escaped past American Justin Espinosa, 9-7, to set up a second round, race-to-11 showdown with Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain.

Kiamco’s countrymen Dennis Orcollo, Johann Chua, Roberto Gomez and Jeffrey de Luna also barged into the next stage of the $300,000 tournament after posting an identical 9-2 victory of Americans Paul Spaanstra, Kelson Juan, Lukas Fracasso-Verner, and Bill Meacham, respectively.

Orcollo, a one-time Asian Games and five-time SEA Games gold medalist, will face next former champion Corey Deuel, while Chua, who placed third in last week’s Predator World 9-Ball Championship in Las Vegas, will go up against Christopher Lawson.

Gomez, on the other hand, will tackle Fedor Gorst of Russia, while De Luna will face off with Rodrigo Geronimo of the US.

The likes of Carlo Biado, James Aranas, Roland Garcia, and Jeffrey Ignacio also stayed in the hunt for the $50,000 (P2.5 million) grand prize after cruising to their second straight win.

Biado, the 2017 World 9-ball champion, bested Vincent Buearivage of Canada, 9-3, Aranas subdued American John Hennigan, 9-4, Roland Garcia prevailed over Konrad Juszczyszyn of Poland, 9-6,  while Ignacio edged Shaun Wilkie, 9-4.

Biado faces a tall order next as he battles former world champion Mika Immonen of Finland.

Aranas will collide with Pijus Labutis of Lithuania, Garcia will have his hands full against Japanese Naoyuki Oi, while Ignacio will tangle with Chang Jun-Lin of Chinese-Taipei.

Meanwhile, Daniel Dagotgot became the second casualty of the 11-man Philippine contingent in the six-day tilt after suffering back-to-back losses to Jayson Shaw of Scotland, 9-0, and Jesus Atencio of Venezuela, 9-8.