Criss Cross guns for an elimination-round sweep as it faces the same squad that handed it one of its rare blemishes, while the rest of the semifinal cast gears up for a final tune-up ahead of the high-stakes Final Four in the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Friday at Paco Arena in Manila.
Though the playoff picture is already set, intensity is expected to spike in the final triple-header of the prelims with Criss Cross, Savouge, Alpha Insurance and AEP-Cabstars all looking to build momentum and send a strong message before the semifinal grind begins.
With a 9-0 record, the King Crunchers have emerged as the clear team to beat, showcasing dominance and depth throughout the tournament. But despite their near-flawless run, nothing is guaranteed in the next phase, where the Spin Doctors, Cabstars and the Protectors are all poised to turn the semis into a wide-open battle for the coveted finals berths.
Still, Criss Cross remains locked in on finishing what it started.
The King Crunchers take on the 3B Event Masters at 5 p.m., carrying not only momentum but an aura of invincibility into the round-robin semis of the Sports Vision-organized tilt. Their campaign has been nothing short of dominant – winning all nine matches while dropping just two sets, even as they rotated a talent-rich lineup that underscored their depth and system.
Interestingly, one of those two lost sets came against the Event Masters in their previous encounter last March 6. Criss Cross dropped the opening frame, 22-25, before roaring back with a convincing 25-10, 25-13, 25-15 victory.
This time, the King Crunchers are determined to leave no room for resistance as they chase a sweep of the elims.
Their depth was again on full display in their most recent outing, where the reserves saw extended minutes in a straight-sets win over VNS. Jaron Requinton led the charge with 16 points, highlighting the team’s ability to deliver regardless of personnel on the floor.
Requinton stressed that the team’s mindset remains unchanged heading into their final elms match.
“Same mindset pa rin, walang pagkakaiba. Kailangan pa rin naming pagtrabahuhan ‘yung last game namin this preliminaries and stick pa rin kami sa goal namin, which is mag back-to-back champion this conference,” he said.
“Trabaho pa rin talaga, lalo na papunta ng semis kasi for sure nababasa na kami ng ibang kalaban so kailangan mas doblehin namin ‘yung trabaho namin,” he added.
On the other side, 3B is eager to close out its campaign on a high note – and potentially play spoiler. The Event Masters will rely on Christhian Olaes, John Vincent Ramos, and Axel Defeo to orchestrate their offense and mount a serious upset bid against the league’s most dominant squad.
Meanwhile, Savouge and AEP-Cabstars collide at 3 p.m. in a duel that could serve as a preview of semis fireworks, while Alpha Insurance faces winless VNS at 1 p.m., aiming to build confidence and sharpen its edge heading into the Final Four.
