After toppling two title contenders, league-leading Criss Cross looks to stretch its winning run to five as it faces another formidable foe in UST-Gameville in the 2025 Spiker’s Turf Invitational Conference on Sunday (Nov. 9) at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Riding a four-game surge, the King Crunchers have shown no signs of slowing down, dismantling defending champion Cignal and two-time bronze medalist Savouge Aesthetics in convincing fashion to stay firmly in control of the season-ending tournament organized by Sports Vision.
But the Golden Spikers are also in fine form, coming off back-to-back victories over the VNS Griffins and the Alpha Insurance Protectors. They now seek a breakthrough win against an established powerhouse in their keenly awaited 5 p.m. clash.
The matchup – capping another explosive triple-header – could significantly shake up the semifinal race in the tournament supported by Alpha Insurance, Premiere EMS, Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things, and Arena Plus.
A win for Criss Cross will push it closer to a Final Four berth, while a UST-Gameville (3-1) upset could throw the semis race wide open in the tournament supported by Alpha Insurance, Premiere EMS, Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things, and Arena Plus.
Beyond the standings, Sunday’s duel shapes up as a classic battle of strengths – the league’s most ruthless offensive force against one of its most disciplined defensive walls.
Anchoring Criss Cross’s high-octane offense is a balanced arsenal that has kept opponents guessing all season long.
Three-time league MVP Jude Garcia remains the driving force on the wing, while rookie Noel Kampton has brought fearless energy and thunderous jump serves to the mix. Newcomer Poy Colinares has also been a revelation at the middle, providing instant impact with his net presence.
Together, they have transformed Criss Cross into the tournament’s most lethal scoring unit – No. 1 in spiking at 47.03%, third in blocking (2.71/set), and third in serving (0.93/set) heading into the crucial encounter.
“Siyempre nakaka-pressure ‘to – unbeaten team, tapos lahat ng teams, players, and manonood babantayan kami. Mage-expect sila,” said Kampton.
“Pero para sa akin, sige lang. Nandyan lang ‘yung standings, pero ang importante one game at a time. Kalimutan muna ‘yung 5-0 – basta pupunta kami sa game para manalo.”
On the opposite end, UST-Gameville counters with a defense that has frustrated some of the league’s most potent attacks.
Led by World Championship veteran Josh Ybañez and defensive anchor Edriel Alabar, the Golden Spikers have built a reputation for resilience and discipline – a trait reflected in their impressive stats: second in digs (8.00/set) and second in reception efficiency (49.1%).
With Ybañez reportedly re-joining Alas Pilipinas next week, Alabar knows the challenge ahead.
“Kailangan ko talagang mag-step up since mawawala si Josh,” said Alabar. “Pero tiwala ako sa teammates ko – hindi naman lahat dapat kunin ko kasi baka ako rin ‘yung mawala sa laro. Simula sa training, kailangan ko silang tulungan lalo na sa pasa at depensa.”
Sunday’s duel is more than a battle for standings – it’s experience versus youth, firepower versus defense, and a test of which team can impose its will when the pressure peaks.
In other matches, Savouge Aesthetics (3-2) aims to stay in the semis mix against PGJC-Navy (0-4) at 1 p.m., while FEU-DN Steel (1-3) battles the struggling VNS Griffins (0-4) at 3 p.m.
