PVL: Unbeaten Cignal, hot Petro Gazz battle to end year right
Myla Pablo (right) is playing at an optimum level in her comeback conference for the Angels. —PVL IMAGES
The PVL All-Filipino Conference will have its final playdate of the year on Saturday, and fittingly enough, the games will carry great significance heading into the long holiday break.
Unbeaten Cignal and Petro Gazz, who own two of the meanest forms of late, tangle in the 6:30 p.m. contest at PhilSports Arena in Pasig with the HD Spikers shooting for a fifth straight win and the solo lead even as Chery Tiggo tries to stay in the upper half of the 12-team field when it battles Galeries Tower.
Article continues after this advertisement“What we have is something big,” Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos said in Filipino, referring to his charges’ 4-0 start that has them tied with powerhouse defending champion Creamline at the top. “But we have to sustain that and, at the same time, not be overwhelmed by what we have achieved so far.”
“There’s still a long way to go, this still just being the eliminations,” he went on. “But this is a good start, and the game against Petro Gazz will be a big test.”
Not contented
The Angels have won their last three games after a losing debut, and coach Koji Tsuzurabara sounded far from being satisfied.
Article continues after this advertisement“Still no good,” the Japanese mentor said after nipping PLDT in four sets two days ago. “We still have to communicate better. And I still have no idea how this winning streak will help us [against Cignal].”
Tsuzurabara has Brooke Van Sickle at his disposal and a support cast that delivered big in that win over the High Speed Hitters, as Jonah Sabete and Myla Pablo all finished in twin figures.
Van Sickle dropped 21 points, Pablo had 19 and Sabete, who Tsuzurabara played as a middle blocker against the HD Spikers, finished with 17 points.
Meanwhile, the Crossovers and the Highrisers battle in the 4 p.m. game, with a Chery Tiggo side eager to continue to show that there is life after the departure of Eya Laure.
After Saturday, action will resume on Jan. 18 with a triple-header featuring Farm Fresh versus Nxled at 1:30 p.m., ZUS Coffee versus Choco Mucho at 4 p.m., and Akari versus PLDT at 6:30 p.m. INQ
