Spikers’ Turf: Criss Cross’ Jude Garcia bags MVP award anew

Criss Cross’ Jude Garcia wins MVP of the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference.–Photo from Spikers’ Turf

MANILA, Philippines — For the second time in a row, Jude Garcia was named Spikers’ Turf Most Valuable Player of the Conference.

After winning the MVP in the 2024 Open Conference, the Criss Cross star followed it up with another spectacular Invitational Conference showing.

Garcia, the 5-foot-11 outside spiker, led the league in scoring during the elimination round with 150 total points on 132 spikes, 14 kill blocks, and four service aces.

READ: Spikers’ Turf: Cignal wins Invitational at expense of Criss Cross

The Far Eastern University product was also efficient, emerging as the top spiker with a 53.88 percent success rate while also excelling on floor defense, placing seventh in reception with a 47.28 percent efficiency rate.

Meanwhile, King Crunchers’ newcomer Nico Almendras and Savouge Spin Doctors’ rising star Shawie Caritativo were recognized as Best Outside Spikers.

Almendras ranked 11th in scoring with 85 points while also being second in service (0.27 per set), eighth in reception (45.40 percent), and ninth in spiking (40.59 percent).

Caritativo, on the other hand, was eighth in scoring with 92 points, sixth in spiking with a 43.32 percent success rate, eighth in aces with 0.18 per set, and ninth in reception with a 42.53 efficiency rate.

Gian Glorioso of Criss Cross and Giles Torres of Savouge bagged the Best Middle Blockers award.

READ: Criss Cross’ Jude Garcia named Spikers’ Turf Open MVP

Glorioso and Torres were 1-2 in the blocking department with 1.10 blocks and 0.74 per set, respectively, while also scoring well with the Spin Doctor making 97 points (seventh) and the King Cruncher tallying 83 points (12th).

Dryx Saavedra of Far Eastern University-DN Steel copped the Best Opposite Spiker distinction after a standout performance, getting the second-most points with 133 and being third-most efficient in spiking with a 47.93 percent success rate.

Completing the Spikers’ Turf Elite Team are Cignal’s Vince Lorenzo and Criss Cross’ Ish Polvorosa.

Lorenzo was the Best Libero for topping the reception category with a 62.59 percent efficiency rate while also placing seventh in digs with 1.34 per set.

Polvorosa, meanwhile, was second in setting with a 4.70 average per set. This is his second time getting the award after winning it in the 2016 Collegiate Conference when he was still with Ateneo.