The Saints Spikers bucked lack of preparation against the Cabstars but carried the momentum of their previous win at the close of the Pool C elims, pulling through in a pressure-packed first set duel then scoring a convincing win in the next.
Bem-Bem Bautista stepped up to take the lead role following top hitter Vince Himzon’s exit in the second set due to injury, pouring in 14 points, the last two on a contested block touch and a potent blast that put the Saints Spikers at match point, 24-21.
The last team to punch a ticket to the quarters then advanced to the Final Four on Cabstars’ Jomar Soriano’s wide cross-court attack. Letran thus joined Perpetual-Kinto Tyres and Cignal in the round robin semis set to fire off Wednesday after the Altas and the HD Spikers carved out similar 3-0 victories over the FEU Tamaraws and EcoOil La Salle Green Oilers, respectively.
It was a big win indeed for Letran, which swept Navy just last Friday to finish second to Cignal in Pool C play. The Saints Spikers had only one day to prepare against the Cabstars, the elims topnotcher in Pool B.
“Confident ang mga players ko that’s why hindi kami masyadong nahirapan,” said Letran coach Brian Esquibel. “I also told them na kahit me nangyari sa kasama nila (Himzon), kailangan pa rin nilang mag-trabaho at gawin ang best nila.”
The big-hitting Himzon suffered an ankle sprain in the second and didn’t return but his early 13-point burst helped key Letran’s romp in that stretch.
Steven Sta. Maria also finished with 14 points as the Saints Spikers smothered the Cabstars in spikes, 50-29, although the latter finished with 11 blocks against the former’s seven.
Held to another fierce battle in the third, the Saints Spikers proved their mettle as Lorenz Vicente backed Bautista with clutch hits, including back-to-back points that kept them ahead at 21-18 after they endured two service miscues.
The Cabstars kept the game close at 20-22 on the Saints Spikers’ net touch and were poised to pull within one on a Bautista attack that was previously ruled as errant. But the Saints Spikers challenged the call and won, giving the team a 23-20 cushion instead.
“It’s all about communication and trust on each other,” said Bautista, whose slide attack, coupled with Vicente’s off-the-block hit shattered the 16-all count in the third.
Letran took a three-point lead on a Cabuyao hitting error and stayed in control the rest of the way as the Cabstars struggled on their offense and failed to demonstrate the form they showed in topping the Pool B play in the elims.
“It’s a big achievement to be in the semis, so pagbubutihan pa namin para ma-develop skills at confidence ng mga bata,” said Esquibel.
Michael Doria top-scored for Cabstars with 10 points while Soriano finished with nine markers, Joshua Ramilo and Dominic Panganiban had eight and four points, respectively, and Miguel Dasig, Walter Pendel and Gab Magsino added three markers apiece.
