With a resounding 25-16, 25-21, 25-20 victory, the Cool Smashers secured the first finals berth, igniting enthusiasm of majority of the 17,834 fans who packed into the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The crowd erupted as Tots Carlos sealed the deal with a powerful hit, ending the lopsided one-hour, 34-minute encounter and steering the Cool Smashers to their third consecutive finals appearance and a shot at their third straight AFC championship, aiming for an eighth overall crown in the league organized by Sports Vision.
Playmaker Kyle Negrito attributed their success to hard work and perseverance. Despite initial struggles, where they wound up fourth in the prelims and lost their first match in the semis, they refused to relent, addressing weaknesses and making crucial adjustments along the way.
“Kung may pinaghugutan kami, ito yung bawat isa, sa paghihirap namin buong conference,” said Negrito, who anchored the Cool Smashers’ offense with 16 excellent sets. “We’re just too happy that we won when it mattered.”
“Pero hindi pa tapos ang laban, magta-trabaho pa kami ng husto,” added Negrito, who also scored six points.
With a 2-1 record and a substantial 7-point tally, Creamline clinched the top spot, even in the event of a tie for first place among Creamline, Choco Mucho and Petro Gazz.
Meanwhile, the outcome of the Flying Titans-Angels duel would determine the final opponent.
The Cool Smashers dominated from the outset, capitalizing on a fast start to overwhelm the Crossovers. Led by Carlos, who was rejuvenated after a well-deserved rest, Creamline dictated the pace, outscoring its opponents in attack points, aces, and pouncing on unforced errrors.
Chery Tiggo struggled to find its rhythm in the face of Creamline’s formidable defense, anchored by Pangs Panaga, which thwarted the Crossovers’ offensive attempts. Despite a brief Chery Tiggo fightback in the second frame, Creamline maintained control, with Jema Galanza and Alyssa Valdez delivering crucial hits.
Chery Tiggo dropped all its three matches in post-elims play as the Crossovers suffered a drop in form after an impressive campaign in the prelims that saw them rack up seven consecutive victories to enter the Final Four.
Carlos came away with 16 points, including three blocks, while Valdez put up a superb 10-point performance. Panaga also shone with seven points, on three slide plays and four blocks, while Galanza, Risa Sato and Michele Gumabao added six, five and four points, respectively.
Chery Tiggo assistant coach Aaron Velez, who took over from head coach Kungfu Reyes, tried to motivate his players to mount a challenge but could only draw eight points each from Aby Maraño and Eya Laure, while Mylene Paat settled for a seven-point output and EJ Laure chipped in five markers.
With Carlos on the firing end, Creamline lorded it over in spikes, 40-32, and with the three-time MVP winner combining with Panaga upfront, the Cool Smashers dominated with 12 blocks, eight more than their opponents.
Meanwhile, a victory by Choco Mucho, regardless of the number of sets, will seal a title rematch with Creamline, but a Petro Gazz win in three or four sets will set the stage for a sudden-death match between the Angels and the Flying Titans for the other finals slot on Tuesday, back at the Philsports Arena.
The best-of-three championship will be played at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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