Former world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo scored twin victories late Tuesday to propel the Philippines past the Czech Republic, 4-1, and into the Last 16 of the 1st World Team Pool Championship in Hannover, Germany.

The RP team and Czech Republic split the first two 8-ball matches with the Filipinos drawing first blood, 6-3, before the Czechs bounced back, 6-4, in the tournament held at the Hall 13 of the Hannover Exhibition Grounds.

The Czechs, however, could not do anything better from there as the Filipinos dominated the next three matches with the 31-year-old Surigao del Sur native Orcollo accounting for two lopsided wins.

Orcollo routed Roman Hybler, 8-2, in the 9-ball play then Japan-based Antonio Lining blasted Michal Gavenciak, 8-4, in the same event for a 3-1 overall lead, before Orcollo sealed the RP team’s victory with a 7-2 rout of Lukas Krenek in the 10-ball play.

“Orcollo really played well against the Czechs. He didn’t give his rivals the opportunity especially in the 9-ball,” said Orcollo’s manager, Perry Mariano of Bugsy Promotions. “I hope the team could continue its amazing run.”

The day’s last match –a 10-ball game between two-time national champion Lee Van Corteza and Hybler – was supposed to be played, but was called off since the Philippines, also bannered by Ronnie Alcano, Marlon Manalo and Warren KiIamco, has already chalked up win No. 4 in the race-to-4 event where the champion team gets the lion’s share of $100,000 (roughly P4.7 million).

The 48-nation tournament, the first of its kind and sanctioned by the world pool association, stakes a total purse of $400,000 (roughly P19.2 million) and uses a point-system scoring patterned after the famous Davis Cup in international tennis.

For advancing to the “Sweet 16,” Team Philippines, which blanked England II, 4-0, in the first round, is now assured of $10,000 (roughly P470,000).

Also cruising to the Round of 16 were Poland, Russia, Sweden, Germany, China, Switzerland, and the USA.

Poland downed Croatia, 4-1, Russia edged Netherlands, 4-3, Sweden stunned England II, 4-2, Germany blanked Greece, 4-0, China toppled Slovakia, 4-1, Switzerland downed Denmark, 4-3, and United States blasted Morocco, 4-0.