Philippine Super Liga Finale Preview: Why Generika and PLDT will defend their titles
FINALE ON SATURDAY (July 26th at the Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City):
2:00PM – (W-Bronze Medal Match) Air Asia vs. PLDT Home TVolution
4:00PM – (M-Gold Medal Match) PLDT Home TVolution-Air Force vs. Cignal HD
6:00PM – (W-Gold Medal Match) Generika-Army vs. RC Cola-Air Force
8:00PM – Awarding Ceremonies
In the immortal words of Marv Albert: “It has come down to this…”
Generika-Army will be gunning for its third consecutive title in the women’s division while PLDT Home TVolution-Air Force will be looking to win its second straight crown as the 2014 Philippine Super Liga (PSL) All Filipino Conference comes to a riveting climax at the historic Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
According to league officials, a phalanx of VIPs have been invited to grace the event and many aficionados look forward to the most intense finale in the brief history of the fledgling club volleyball league.
Earlier this week, Petron swept Cagayan valley—behind an inspired 30-point performance from rookie Din-Din Santiago—to cop fifth place in the women’s division, while Systema took the undefeated Power Attackers to five sets before coming up just short. For their efforts, the Smashers claimed third place over the surprising Instituto Estetica Manila (IEM) Phoenix Volley Masters and have some form of consolation after a dismal roller coaster campaign.
This now sets the stage for Saturday; where along with the final three matches of the conference, the league will also fete the deserving players (per position) in both divisions. Let me take this opportunity to offer my predictions on how it will come out:
Women’s Division:
Best Opener – Rachel Anne Daquis (Generika)
Best Opener – Stephanie Mercado (Air Asia)
Best Quicker – Maika Ortiz (RC Cola)
Best Quicker – Din-Din Santiago (Petron)
Best Opposite – Suzanne Roces (PLDT Home TVolution)
Best Setter – Tina Salak (Generika)
Best Libero – Lizlee Ann Gata-Pantone (PLDT Home TVolution)
Rookie of the Year/MVP: Din-Din Santiago (Petron)
Men’s Division:
Best Opener: Ran-Ran Abdilla (PLDT Home TVolution)
Best Opener: Howard Mojica (Cignal HD)
Best Quicker: JR Labrador (PLDT Home TVolution)
Best Quicker: Alexis Faytaren (IEM)
Best Opposite: Myco Antonio (Systema)
Best Setter: Jessie Lopez (PLDT Home TVolution)
Best Libero: Sandy Montero (Cignal HD)
MVP: Ran-Ran Abdilla (PLDT Home TVolution)
With that out of the way, let’s break down the upcoming clashes and see if there’s more to any of them than meets the eye.
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(W-Bronze Medal Match) Air Asia vs. PLDT Home TVolution
For all intents and purposes, I believe this should draw the biggest crowd. Air Asia is the most popular team in the league and had they gotten the services of former Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) housemate Michele Gumabao earlier, they would have been playing in the championship game. I had PLDT Home TVolution atop my pre-season power rankings and if they had not run into a series of unfortunate streaks of bad luck, should also have been competing for the crown.
But the two finals protagonists deserve to be where they are and so this should be the most intense bronze medal game yet.
In their lone meeting in the preliminary round, the Flying Spikers bested the Lady Power Attackers in four very close sets. They drew monster performances from their usual stars in Stephanie Mercado, Cha Cruz and Aby Maraño and diffused the opposing wing spikers despite a career game from PLDT’s legendary libero Lizlee Ann Gata-Pantone. However, the Lady Power Attackers have meshed a lot more since then (thanks to an extended exposure in the ongoing Shakey’s V-League Open Conference).
Air Asia got Gumabao back, though, and even if it could be late in the season, her presence has changed the dynamic of Ramil de Jesus’ gameplan as his entire starting line-up has reverted to their natural positions and tasks.
Mic-Mic Laborte has been showing why she is still the best defensive quicker in the land—now that she’s back playing that position. Cruz, amiably christened “Miss Everything” during her collegiate days in De La Salle University (DLSU) has not skipped a beat despite a nearly two year hiatus from the sport and has exemplified the kind of all-around brilliance that has endeared her to her legions of fans. Maraño and Mercado have still been as consistent as always and Gumabao has not shown any signs of rust.
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The big deal for the Flying Spikers is the health of libero Melissa Gohing (back strain) and setter Mika Esperanza (knee sprain). Former Adamson playmaker May Macatuno has filled in admirably for “Mok” but is about a good five inches shorter, which makes her a liability at the net. Rochelle Sison has also done her best in stepping into Gohing’s shoes, but has required a lot of help from her teammates—most especially from Cruz.
That being said, all the advantages point towards the Lady Power Attackers (no injuries) as the team with the edge in this match-up.
Louann Latigay and Suzanne Roces have been virtual scoring machines for Head Coach Roger Gorayeb and whatever deficiencies they have in height and heft down the middle (Charo Soriano and Sasa Devanadera are not necessarily the most imposing figures at the net), they make for in team defense—led by Gata-Pantone’s omnipresence and the aggressive play of chief orchestrator Rubie de Leon.
The downside for PLDT Home TVolution is there isn’t much left after the abovementioned volleybelles. Maru Banaticla and Angela Benting have been hot and cold while the bench has not really been a factor all season long.
If Gorayeb can get the best of a line-up consisting of Latigay, Roces, Soriano, Devanadera, de Leon, one of the two openers (Banaticla or Benting—whoever wakes up on the right side of the bed) and Gata-Pantone, the Lady Power Attackers will snare the bronze.
The depletion of Air Asia in their most critical positions could be too much to overcome, although I didn’t even touch on the audience factor at all.
(M-Gold Medal Match) PLDT Home TVolution-Air Force vs. Cignal HD
There shouldn’t be much to talk about here, except for the fact that the Power Attackers showed what would happen if Ran-Ran Abdilla hit a rut in their final prelims tiff against Systema.
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Abdilla was horrible as a starter against the Smashers; scoring only one point and hit into eight attack errors in opening set of that non-bearing match prompting Head Coach Jasper Jimenez to yank his top gun in favor of former UAAP MVP JP Torres. Luckily for PLDT, Torres was up to the task and all but demolished the heady Systema defenses en route to a team-high fifteen markers and the harrowing five-set win to stay undefeated.
But what if Abdilla has another bad game in the championship match?
We all know that’s not supposed to happen and the former De La Salle-Dasmariñas (DLS-D) stalwart should cop the MVP plum in perhaps the most anti-climactic individual awards race yet. Abdilla’s fellow national team aces have a picture of consistency, however, with Jeffrey Malabanan, JR Labrador and Ron Jay Galang still being able to pound all opposition to submission. Jessie Lopez has also been steady as their setter and legendary libero Raffy Mosuela has made defense look very easy.
Cignal will have to lean heavily on their three-pronged attackers in Howard Mojica, Gilbert Ablan and Edmar Sanchez. Ablan’s inconsistent play of late has had Head Coach Mike Cariño looking for answers elsewhere—particularly from his solid quickers in Adam Daquer and Mike Abria.
This still looks to be a victory for PLDT Home TVolution, unless the HD Spikers have saved their best for last. If that’s the case, this one will go the distance.
(W-Gold Medal Match) Generika vs. RC Cola
On paper, the top two teams in the league clash for the title. However, this still looks like all the advantages have gone the way of the two-time defending queens of Philippine club volleyball.
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Generika (carrying the core of the Philippine Army Lady Troopers squad) has only lost twice in the league this season (and only five times overall the entire year, counting the Cagayan Friendship Games and the Shakey’s V-League). In the two PSL encounters they’ve dropped (against PLDT and Cagayan Valley to start the season 0-2) veteran playmaker Tina Salak did not see action.
Salak began the season in intensive training for her promotion in rank as a soldier in the Philippine Army and even had to find a way to do her “schooling” and still play despite the hectic schedule just to help Generika stay competitive. She first saw action on June 8th and was instantly instrumental in dealing Air Asia its first loss of the season. She has been in the line-up since and the Lady Troopers have not lost since (in the PSL, at least).
So how can a 30-something year old corporal make such a difference for her squad that as early as now, many are already “giving” the trophy to Generika?
Salak has no equal in the Philippines as a setter. Her knowledge of the game, the strategies employed by Head Coach Rico de Guzman, her grasp of her teammates’ strength and weaknesses and uncanny ability to read opposing defenses (as well as being almost six feet tall) has put her in a class of her own. She has made her veteran teammates like Mary Jean Balse and Nene Bautista play like the all-stars they are, while the younger ones in Rachel Anne Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga have had confidence boosters in her presence.
This not to take away from the incredible run the Raiders have put together this season.
After being devoid of a triumph last season, the franchise acquired the seven members of the Philippine Air Force they were supposed to sign last year and it has made all the difference.
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RC Cola used the draft to get DLS-D wunderkind Iya Yongco and converted libero Jill Gustilo has come into her own this year. The rapid development of Davao recruit Neneng Tapic has given them an added dimension up front to help Best Quicker candidate Maika Ortiz carry the scoring load and seasoned setter Rhea Dimaculangan has been a valuable piece of their title aspirations.
The one thing the Raiders need to achieve on Saturday is high-percentage execution; starting from Gustilo to Dimaculangan to their attackers. Judy Caballejo and Joy Cases must find their marks early continue to put pressure on the Generika defenses. It sounds like a tough task, but RC Cola has the weaponry to get it done. They must also be hungrier than the Lady Troopers. As the Philippine Air Force, they have not beaten “Army” in a very long time. To be able to do it under the bright lights of television on the biggest stage should be a concerted effort.
I still believe Generika will walk away with the title, but I will not be surprised if RC Cola—through the magic of Head Coach Clarence “Aying” Esteban—pulls off the upset IF they come out as the hungrier team.
Postscript:
We’ve seen our fair share of upsets in volleyball in the past (Ateneo overcoming DLSU just this year in the UAAP women’s finals, UP beating FEU in the UAAP prelims and Cagayan Valley defeating Army—with Salak in the line-up).
While there’s a chance it could happen, I think PLDT Home TVolution will take the bronze in the women’s division, PLDT Home TVolution will win its second title in the men’s division and Generika will take its third crown in the women’s division. I even think the two gold matches will be decided in straight sets in less than an hour each.
But this is for all the marbles, so let’s hope the underdogs prove me wrong.
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In any event, this has been the best conference of the PSL yet and come October when the PSL Grand Prix kicks off, we’re sure to have another titanic struggle—and perhaps even more teams in both divisions. Kudos to Sports Core Events Management, Inc. for staying on course and the broadcast team of Solar Sports for continually upping the ante.
Go to Cuneta early on Saturday, guys. Let’s fill up the place and make history one more time.
Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate) and email sportztackle@yahoo.com
