Savouge will test the mettle of Japanese guest team KondohGumi Hyogo, while Cignal looks to seize the solo lead against FEU-DN Steel as the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference semifinals resume on Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
This marks KondohGumi’s second stint in the country’s premier men’s volleyball league organized by Sports Vision. Formerly known as Maruichi, the team clinched a third-place finish last year.
Now, they’re back with a revamped lineup led by coach Kota Kunichika, featuring young talents like setter Kyoshiro Yamamoto, spikers Riku Norihisa, Roya Kakimoto, Haruto Shiozaki, and middle blockers Kohsuke Kakiuchi and Takaya Akamatsu.
Gametime is at 6 p.m.
The Spin Doctors are eager to rebound after a straight-set loss to the HD Spikers on Wednesday. Key players Norwel Sanama, Louis Gamban and JD Diwa seek to maintain their fine form while rallying the team to even their record in the semis.
Meanwhile, Cignal is favored to dominate against FEU-DN Steel, a squad still reeling from a straight-sets defeat to title contender Criss Cross in the semis opener.
Despite their strong start, however, Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor warned his team to stay sharp, emphasizing the importance of securing wins efficiently in the points-based round-robin format.
“Kailangan ng maturity ng ibang players ko. Yung iba kulang ng sense of urgency, nagiging complacent during the game. So yun ang iiwasan at pagtatrabahuhan ngayong semis,” said Clamor.
Newcomers Louie Ramirez and JM Ronquillo were instrumental in Cignal’s win over Savouge, scoring 17 and 14 points, respectively.
FEU-DN Steel, on the other hand, will rely on Dryx Saavedra, who delivered 15 points in their last outing but will need more support from his teammates to stay competitive.
Games are telecast live on One Sports and One Sports+, as well as through the Pilipinas Live app, which offers video-on-demand options. Matches will also be streamed via the official Spikers’ Turf website.
