Cignal, Air Force begin Spikers’ Turf title showdown

MANILA, Philippines – Cignal HD TV and Philippine Air Force face off Saturday seeking to gain the edge in their interesting showdown for the first ever championship of the Spikers' Turf Season 1-Reinfroced Conference presented by PLDT Home Ultera at The Arena in San Juan City.

Both the HD Spikers and the Raiders needed to virtually thread the proverbial eye of the needle by edging the Ultrafast Spikers, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 11-25, 15-8, and the Sailors, 25-15, 20-25, 29-27, 24-26, 15-12, in the semifinals last week and arranging a championship duel set at 3 p.m.

Air Force will come into the series as the prohibitive favorite having beaten Cignal HD TV, 22-25, 18-25, 25-20, 21-25, on Oct. 17  in the elimination round on its way to the finals.

The Raiders will be brandishing one of the league's best, if not the best, attacking combo of Jeffrey Malabanan, Roldolfo Labrador, Reyson Fuentos and Ruben Inaudito, who unloaded 17, 16, 16 and 16 hits, respectively, to sink the Sailors.

But Rhovyl Verayo was quick to downplay their advantage saying the championship is an entirely different ballgame.

"We don't consider ourselves the favorites because I think it's going to be a pretty even match," said Verayo, who used to be one of the country's top spikers himself less than a decade ago, in Filipino.

"Yes we beat them (Cignal). But it's already a thing of the past and we need to throw everything out of the window because anything can happen in the finals," he added.

Truly, Cignal was a different team after its painful defeat to Air Force and racked three straight wins including its sensational semis triumph over Open Conference champion PLDT Home Ultera to forge a rematch with its elims tormentor.

Lorenzo Capate, Jr. is expected to go on attack mode after he peppered the Ultrafast Spikers with 26 points including 23 on kills to lead the way for the HD Spikers.

The power-playing Capate will draw support from Herschel Ranmos, Edmar Bonono and Alexis Faytaren, who scattered 12, 11 and 10, in the semis.

"We need to play hard and aggressive to be able to beat Air Force," said Cignal mentor Michael Carino.

Spicing up the finals is the 1 p.m. game between PLDT Home Ultera and Navy, which collide in another best-of-three affair for third place.

Meanwhile, the league will award the conference's best individual performers in simple rites right before the finals.