Winner of six championships, Cignal should rank high on the pecking order in the Spikers' Turf Open Conference unfolding Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
But the departure of many-time MVP Marck Espejo and other stalwarts gives the eight other teams decent crack at the championship while making this conference's title chase more exciting, unpredictable.
"Actually, may chance na yung ibang teams kasi nga marami ring players ang gumagraduate and yung mga top teams napupuno so yung ibang mga players, kumakalat sa iba ibang teams so mas may chance ngayon,” said VNS-Nasty head coach Ralph Ocampo.
"I respect all the coaches, they are good, lahat ng players magagaling yan but ang basa ko diyan, they’re human and we’re human. They got mistakes and we got mistakes, so of course, mag-iingat lang sila lagi rin kasi lahat naman magagaling,” said Savouge Aesthetics head coach Sammy Acaylar.
Despite losing Espejo, Ysay Marasigan and Manuel Sumanguid to the newly-formed Criss Cross, Cignal signed up Bryan Bagunas, Espejo's arch rival since their college days, along with Ronniel Rosales, Giles Torres, Madz Gampong, Nas Gwaza, Cian Silang and Vince Lorenzo to bolster its roster.
Still, new PGJC-Navy head tactician George Pascua is unfazed by Criss Cross and Cignal, saying the title chase will be a question of desire and resolve.
“Lahat naman humaharap sa challenges. It’s a matter of desire na lang siguro ng team kung sino yung mananalo at sino yung gustong matalo,” said Pascua.
Meanwhile, games will be held not just at the Paco arena but also at the Philsports Arena in Pasig, the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig, and the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna to further boost the popularity of the sport.
