PSL All-Filipino crown asinta ng Petron Blaze Spikers

Laro Ngayon
(Filoil Flying V Centre)
6:30 p.m. Petron vs F2 Logistics (Game 2, best-of-three Finals)

PILIT na patatalsikin sa trono ng Petron Blaze Spikers ang nagtatanggol na kampeong F2 Logistics Cargo Movers sa Game 2 ng 2017 Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference best-of-three final series ngayon sa Filoil Flying V Centre sa San Juan City.

Ganap na alas-6:30 ng gabi tatangkain ng Blaze Spiker na mabawi ang minsan inangkin na korona sa paghahangad sa ikatlo nitong titulo kontra sa inaasahang hindi magpapatalo na Cargo Movers.

Binigo ng Blaze Spikers, na magkampeon noong 2014 Grand Prix at 2015 All-Filipino, sa Game 1 sa loob lamang ng tatlong set, 25-23, 25-21, 25-19, ang Cargo Movers na tila malayo sa ipinakita nito na matinding bangis sa paglalaro nito sa semifinals kontra Cignal HD Spikers.

Pinamunuan ni national team mainstay Frances Molina ang Petron sa itinala na 11 puntos habang tinulungan din ito ng mga beterano na sina Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Mika Reyes, Sisi Rondina, Remy Palma at Bernadeth Pons.

Dinomina rin ng Petron ang attack zone (37-29) at service box (8-5) na kapwa sandigan ng F2 Logistics habang mas nakapagbigay ito ng magandang play sa 34 excellent digs kontra sa 22 lamang ng Cargo Movers.

Gayunman, nakatutok si Petron coach Shaq Delos Santos sa mabagsik na resbak ng F2 Logistics.

“This is already the finals. Statistics no longer matter,” sabi ni Delos Santos, na parte ng coaching staff ng Petron na itinala ang makasaysayang pagwawalis sa pinakaprestihiyosong torneo dalawang taon na ang nakalipas.

“It’s no longer a question of skills or talent. It’s now a question of willingness and desire. Whoever wants it more, whoever is more hungry, will definitely win the title,” sabi pa ni Delos Santos.

P“I know that what we showed in Game 1 wasn’t the real performance of F2 Logistics,” nasabi lamang ni F2 Logistics coach Ramil de Jesus, na isa sa pinakamahusay na coach sa bansa sa bitbit nito na 10 titulo sa UAAP at isa sa pinakamahusay sa pagsasagawa ng adjustments at paglalaro lalo na kung nasa bingit ng kabiguan.

“The series is still far from over,” sabi ni De Jesus. “The adrenaline of the players in Game 1 was so high that they tend to commit mistakes. I told them that most of them were selected in the national team, so they might as well come up with national team-like performance.”

“My players are warriors,” sabi pa ni de Jesus. “I know they will bounce back. It’s not yet over. The series won’t definitely end on Thursday.”