For Jude Garcia, the thrill of victory has always danced tantalizingly close—but it wasn’t until Saturday night that the 27-year-old finally tasted true triumph. After three consecutive MVP awards that ended in finals heartbreak, Garcia paired his unprecedented fourth MVP with the ultimate team achievement, leading the Criss Cross King Crunchers to their first-ever Spikers’ Turf title.
“Sabi nga ni sir Jonathan [Ng] sa’kin kanina, ito ‘yung pinakamasarap na MVP ko kasi sa lahat ng MVP ko, talo kami eh,” Garcia said after Criss Cross’ heart-stopping five-set victory over Japanese guest team Kindai University in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference finale.
The match was a thriller from start to finish. Garcia refused to let the moment slip, firing a game-high 35 points and rallying his team in a nerve-wracking fifth set. The King Crunchers had to withstand a gutsy comeback from the Japanese squad, who clawed back from a 0-2 deficit to force a decider. But Garcia’s leadership and poise under pressure ultimately carried his team to glory.
Unlike his previous MVP nights, where personal brilliance was dimmed by finals losses, this time Garcia could celebrate both individual achievement and team success.
“Kaya ito, sobrang sarap kasi talagang nakuha namin ‘yung championship tapos hindi bumitaw ‘yung teammates ko sa’kin, hindi bumitaw ‘yung coaching staff, ‘yung management para i-lift up ako sa game,” he said, reflecting on the shared effort that made the victory possible.
Over the past two years, Garcia has been the face of the Spikers’ Turf, especially with stars like Cignal’s Bryan Bagunas and Criss Cross teammate Marck Espejo balancing national team duties and commitments abroad. Embracing the role wholeheartedly, he has led by example, using his platform to inspire the next generation of volleyball players.
“Sobrang laking responsibilidad ‘yon, ‘yung maging face ng Spikers’ Turf. Pero hindi ko ‘yun tine-take advantage ‘yun. Talaga focus ako sa ginagawa ko, gusto ko ako maging role model sa lahat ng bata na gustong maglaro ng volleyball.”
