Manalo Undefeated for the Day

Manalo Undefeated for the DayManalo to face Hohmann in possible final previewWinning 8-6 over Ralf Souquet, it is a certainty that Marlon Manalo will be one of the contestants playing in Sunday’s North American Open 8-Ball Championship finals.From a 6-2 lead, Souquet scratched on the break that could have put him on the hill, and that threw open the door for Manalo, who grabbed that rack, won a safety bttle in the next and ran out, and then broke and ran two racks in rapid succession to knot the score at 6. A dry break left the cue ball hanging in the corner pocket, limiting available shots for Souquet, who missed two balls in. Manalo ran out to reach the hill.IPT discussion forumDay 7 image galleryMatch schedule for July 29, 2006
The last game had the audience on the edge of their seats: Manalo ran out to the his last ball and shot it in the side, sending the cue ball three rails and ending up practically frozen to the 8 ball. An attempt at a cross-side bank is unsuccessful, and Souquet took the opportunity to play safe, forcing Manalo at try for a three-rail kick, on which he fouled. With ball in hand, Souquet downed a ball but then badly missed a straight-in shot. Walking to the table, Manalo said softly, “Woohoo,” sighed, and cut the 8 down the long rail for the win. Thorsten Hohmann has just defeated Dennis Orcollo by a stunning 8-3 score, improving his chances dramatically to advance to the final match. After the last round, Hohmann was tied with Dennis Orcollo for game wins but behind as far as the games-won percentage, so this was a huge win for him.Efren Reyes won his first match of the day so far in the fourth round, going up against Evgeny Stalev. Only allowing the Russian a game here and there, “The Magician” swept through with an 8-3 victory.Reyes shed some light on what has been troubling him today: “My first match I had him by two, then he ran five, my last break hill-hill I don't make a ball, everything is loose and he ran out. Break-scratch, break-nothing, then finally I win four-three but then four or five in a row. The breaks just don’t work for me today—they work for them.”Stalev, Reyes, and Souquet only have one match win today, making it impossible to advance. The race really seems to be between Orcollo and Hohmann. The final round will tell. If Hohmann wins his fifth-round match, he will advance. If he loses and Orcollo wins, it’ll be tight.In the fifth round, Hohmann will play Manalo, which could be a preview of the finals), while Orcollo will meet Stalev. Souquet and Reyes will make up the third match.Round 6 Group 82E. ReyesR. SouquetT. HohmannE. StalevD. OrcolloM. ManaloVisit Inside POOL Magazine for the latest pool and billiard news from the North American Open 8-Ball Championship.

Pool Balls and Billiard Balls at LOW PRICES!!!

About the Author:
Inside Pool Magazine publishes billiard news. Definitive Synergy creates pool and billiard management software.