Never underestimate the heart of a champion – especially one led by a World Championship veteran.
Louie Ramirez shook off a sluggish start and turned into an unstoppable force when it mattered most, powering Cignal past a gritty Alpha Insurance side, 20-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11, to clinch its second straight win in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference Wednesday night at the Paco Arena.
After a quiet first three sets, Ramirez erupted in the fourth and fifth, spearheading a fiery Cignal comeback with an array of high-flying attacks and clutch plays that reminded everyone why he’s one of the league’s premier scorers.
The former NCAA MVP from Perpetual Help struggled early, managing only three points as the Super Spikers fell behind, 1–2. Coach Dexter Clamor decided to sit him briefly – a move that proved pivotal.
“Nagmatyag talaga ako nung nilabas ako. Sabi ko, pag pinasok ako sa Set 4, tutulungan ko ang team. At bumawi talaga ako,” said Ramirez, who made good on that promise in emphatic fashion.
And bounce back he did.
Ramirez caught fire in the final two frames, pounding Alpha’s defense with an unstoppable mix of vicious kills, thunderous backrow bombs, and well-timed off-speed hits. He even came up with a crucial block late in the fourth that helped Cignal force a deciding set.
In the fifth, the high-flying open hitter simply took over. Down 3-6, Cignal kept relying on Ramirez, who didn’t disappoint, igniting a blistering 6-0 run with a cluster of points – turning a deficit into a commanding 9-6 lead that completely broke Alpha’s rhythm.
From there, Cignal never looked back.
After Alpha saved one match point, the Alas Pilipinas mainstay fittingly sealed the deal, soaring for the final, match-clinching spike that sent the Super Spikers’ bench into a frenzy.
Ramirez finished with a game-high 23 points, 10 of which came in the final set, on 20 attacks and three kill blocks in the two-hour victory.
He later credited his coaches and teammates for believing in him even when things weren’t clicking early on.
“Unang-una, salamat sa mga coaches ko for their trust. Kahit pangit laro ko sa umpisa, sabi ko lang pagbubutihin ko para hindi masira ang tiwala ng coaches at teammates ko,” said Ramirez.
He didn’t just redeem himself – he dominated, proving once more that champions rise when the lights shine brightest.
Supporting Ramirez was team captain JP Bugaoan tallied 15 points on 11 attacks and four of the team’s whopping 18 kill blocks, while JM Ronquillo and Josafat added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Protectors — who tallied just two wins in their debut conference — came heartbreakingly close to matching that mark in only their second game of the Invitationals, only to fall short and drop to 1-1.
Motol spearheaded Alpha Insurance’s brave stand with 18 points on 13 attacks, four blocks, and one ace to go along with 33 excellent receptions, while Casas and Barbie San Andres registered 17 and 16 points, respectively.
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