Criss Cross bucked an early scare before mounting a dominant comeback, blasting past AEP-Cabstars, 21-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-17, to clinch the other finals berth in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference Finals on Sunday at the FilOil Centre.
The King Crunchers thus closed out their round-robin semifinals campaign with a 2-1 record, not only securing their fifth straight Finals appearance but also earning a shot at redemption against the Savouge Spin Doctors.
After a sluggish start that enabled the Cabstars to seize early control, the King Crunchers regrouped and dominated the next three frames, anchoring their surge on solid blocking as they imposed their will and overwhelmed the Cabstars the rest of the way.
AEP-Cabstars managed to close in on in the fourth frame, but Jaron Requinton anchored a 4-0 run that turned a shaky 16-14 edge into a commanding six-point lead.
Criss Cross cruised to victory from there, with Requinton also taking charge down the stretch. He delivered the team’s last four points to wrap up the match in one hour and 49 minutes and seal their showdown with tormentor Savouge in the tournament organized by Sports Vision and supported by Alpha Insurance, ArenaPlus, Black Mamba, and Premier EMS, while Jay Rack De La Noche tallied 17 markers.
The Spin Doctors stunned the King Crunchers with a thrilling five-set comeback victory last Wednesday, securing the first Finals berth and snapping their 14-game winning streak.
“Siguro ‘yun, kailangan naming maging all-out kasi ‘yung game ngayon is do-or-die para sa finals namin. At the same time, para mas mataas ‘yung morale namin going to our goal, which is to be a champion again,” said Requinton, who finished with 15 points off the bench.
“Kaya ‘yun lang ‘yung pumapasok sa isip namin — kailangan namin… ‘di kami pwedeng magpakumpyansa sa sarili namin. Kailangan naming lumaban every game,” he added.
Four-time MVP Jude Garcia continued to lead the King Crunchers’ assault with 24 points built on 20 attacks and four kill blocks. He also posted eight excellent receptions, while Adrian Villados orchestrated the offense with finesse, finishing with 30 excellent sets.
Nico Almendras, Kim Malabunga, and Lloyd Josafat chipped in six points apiece as Criss Cross head coach Tai Bundit turned to his bench to spark the team following a lackluster opening set.
Menard Guerrero and John Pepito anchored the King Crunchers’ floor defense, tallying 13 excellent digs and 14 excellent receptions, respectively.
Meanwhile, AEP-Cabstars wound up with a 1-2 record, dropping to a battle for the bronze medal against Alpha Insurance, which also finished with the same mark.
Jared Schnake put up 18 points and eight excellent digs in the Cabstars final game of the Open Conference semis.
