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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Volleyball devider Criss Cross, Cignal target Spikers' Turf finals matchup

Criss Cross, Cignal target Spikers' Turf finals matchup

Published Dec 10, 2024 07:25 am

At A Glance

  • Fresh from their thrilling encounter over the weekend, Criss Cross and Cignal take on separate rivals on Wednesday, Dec. 11, looking to cement their places in the Spikers' Turf Invitational Conference finals at the FilOil EcoOil Arena.

Fresh from their thrilling encounter over the weekend, Criss Cross and Cignal take on separate rivals on Wednesday, Dec. 11, looking to cement their places in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference finals at the FilOil EcoOil Arena.

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Criss Cross eyes a second straight finals appearance. (Spikers Turf Images)

The King Crunchers, brimming with confidence after a four-set triumph over the HD Spikers, are now a win away from securing a second straight finals appearance. They face the Savouge Spin Doctors at 4 p.m., aiming to maintain their unbeaten semis record and sustain their red-hot momentum.

However, Savouge won’t go down without a fight. The Spin Doctors bounced back from an early loss to Cignal with a commanding straight-set win over Kondohgumi Hyogo last Friday. Despite their renewed confidence, the Spin Doctors will need to dig deep to stop the formidable Criss Cross squad.

Even if the King Crunchers falter against Savouge, they’ll have another chance to clinch a finals spot when they face the winless Japanese team on Friday.

Cignal, meanwhile, looks to shake off Sunday’s loss and solidify its finals bid as it takes on Kondohgumi Hyogo at 6 p.m. The young Japanese squad has yet to win a set in the semis, making this a golden opportunity for the HD Spikers to bounce back and stay in contention in the season-ending tournament of the league organized by Sports Vision.

Fans are already anticipating a Criss Cross-Cignal rematch in the finals – a repeat of last May’s Open Conference championship series, where the HD Spikers swept the King Crunchers in a best-of-three duel.

This time, however, the title will be decided in a high-stakes, one-game knockout match on Sunday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Jude Garcia, who tallied an impressive 25 points against Cignal, will lead the King Crunchers' offensive arsenal, supported by Ysay Marasigan, Nico Almendras, Gian Glorioso and Kim Malabunga.

Garcia, the reigning Open Conference MVP, emphasized the importance of staying cautious despite their semifinal victory over the HD Spikers. He said that the season is far from over and stressed that the team still needs to maintain their focus and commitment to achieve their ultimate goal.

“Syempre, ‘di pa rin tapos ‘yung season eh,” said Garcia after their win over Cignal. “Kailangan talaga namin pagtrabahuhan every game, every point ng game, kaya kailangan namin magtrabaho one hundred percent. Uumpisahan namin sa training.” 

For Savouge, coach Sydney Calderon will lean on Hero Austria, Giles Torres, Shawie Caritativo and JD Diwa to stage an upset and fuel their own finals drive in the tournament supported by ArenaPlus, Mikasa and Alpha Insurance and Surety Company.

Calderon believes that for the Spin Doctors to have a legitimate shot at advancing to the final round, the team must significantly elevate their offensive performance and consistency.

“More polish talaga sa offense namin kasi sabi ko nga, meron naman kaming receive. Ang tagal naming maka-convert talaga sa offense so ‘yun ‘yung naging problem namin, second is ‘yung blockings kailangan i-improve,” said Calderon.

On the other hand, Cignal’s powerhouse lineup features Louie Ramirez, JP Bugaoan, Lloyd Josafat, Mark Calado and Wendel Miguel, all eager to redeem themselves after their recent defeat.

As the semis heat up, the stakes are higher than ever, with each match bringing the teams closer to a chance at Spikers’ Turf glory.

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