Criss Cross left no doubt about its championship intent, capping off a flawless elimination-round campaign with a commanding straight-sets victory over 3B, 25-23, 25-15, 25-16, in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Friday at the Paco Arena.
The top-ranked King Crunchers asserted control from the opening serve to the final point, turning what could have been a routine closeout into a resounding statement of dominance. With the win, the Rebisco-backed squad marched into the next phase of the tournament organized by Sports Vision unbeaten and unbothered, finishing with a pristine 10-0 record.
It marked Criss Cross’ third consecutive elimination-round sweep, following a perfect 10-0 run in the 2025 Open Conference and a 7-0 campaign in the subsequent Invitational Conference, where the team captured its first-ever title.
“Unang-una, nagpapasalamat ako sa management. Talagang walang sawa ‘yung suporta sa amin, nandun talaga. Credits din sa lahat ng teammates ko kasi tinrabaho din ng bawat isa ‘yung 10-0 ngayong eliminations,” said four-time MVP Jude Garcia.
“Pero syempre back to zero ulit, kasi nga papunta na ng semis. Lahat ng games importante, so kailangan ‘yung 100 percent effort nandun talaga,” he added.
Criss Cross dominated the attack line, 45-28, a decisive edge that underscored its control after a tightly contested opening set. From there, the King Crunchers overwhelmed the Event Masters and dictated the tempo the rest of the way.
Alche Gupiteo led the charge with a game-high 19 points, while Adrian Villados orchestrated the offense with 16 excellent sets, as the rest of the squad saw limited minutes in a match firmly in their grasp.
Garcia chipped in six points, while Jaron Requinton, Kim Malabunga, and Lucca Mamone added five markers apiece in the one-hour, six-minute rout.
On the other side, 3B settled for fifth place with a 2-8 record in the season-opening tournament backed by Alpha Insurance, ArenaPlus, Black Mamba, and Premiere EMS.
John Vincent Ramos paced the Event Masters with 12 points built on 11 attacks and one block.
Christhian Olaes was held to five markers on three attacks and two kill blocks, while Joshua Datu added four, as the team once again missed the services of Carl Berdal.
