Choco Mucho hungry for elusive PVL title

MANILA, Philippines – Much has been said about the Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ meteoric rise from a fledgling franchise eyeing a place in the sun five years ago to a legitimate title contender now.

But for team captain Maddie Madayag, their driving force has always been hunger.

“Gutom na gutom kami, we’re very hungry to get the gold,” said the lion-hearted 26-year-old middle blocker moments after sweeping the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference semis in three games with a 23-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-20 win over Petro Gazz and booking their second straight finals appearance.

“We’ve come a long way. Five years ago kaka-start ng Choco Mucho, I was there, and now I still can’t believe andito na kami,” she added.

Madayag hopes that their cravings would fuel them to achieve what they have long sought for — a glorious PVL championship.

“Sobra happy na very confident maglaro team namin, dati nagugulat pa kami.

We’re just very happy and grateful to dinala ulit kami dito for another chance to get the championship,” said Madayag.

“You can see it in their eyes, gusto talaga nila manalo and we want more,” she added.

But to be the best, the Flying Titans must beat the best — the Creamline Cool Smashers — in what was expected to be another epic finale that many are predicting would inevitably shatter league attendance records.

Game 1 is set Thursday and Game Two Sunday while a deciding Game Three, if necessary, is Tuesday, all at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Unlike before though, Choco Mucho would come in as the prohibitive favorite after having finished better after the elimination round where it posted a 9-2 record for the No. 2 seeding and the semis where it swept all its three outings.

It included a breakthrough, come-from-behind 13-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 18-16 epic win a week ago that snapped a 12-loss skein to its elder sibling.

From helpless preys in the past, the Flying Titans are now the predators, doing the hunting.

Madayag, however, knew it would be far from easy.

“The team will stay humble, Creamline is Creamline. They're a very difficult team to beat. Pero na-experience namin kaya pala namin sila talunin, kaya yun ang baon namin,” she said.