FAVORITES Petron and Cignal square off in a battle of heavyweights at the resumption of the Belo-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference today at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.
The Cignal-Petron match that many say could be a preview of this season’s finals is set at 7 p.m.
Opening-day losers Cocolife and Foton take the floor at 5 p.m. in the interclub tournament bankrolled by Mikasa, Asics, Senoh, Mueller, Gold’s Gym and UCPB Gen with TV5 as official broadcast partner.
Former Ateneo defensive specialist Denden Lazaro, who missed Saturday’s opener to join a family vacation in Japan, will debut for Cocolife and help Michele Gumabao and the Tornadoes get their rhythm in the tournament.
The Tornadoes will be up against a Foton side led by three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player Grethcel Soltones and former National University Star Dindin Santiago-Manabat.
Petron and Cignal, tagged as favorites this season with rosters they strengthened in the off-season, were good as advertised when they beat newcomer Sta. Lucia and Grand Prix champion Foton, respectively, to start the season.
Petron’s new recruits Mika Reyes and Carmela Tunay had nine points each and setter Rhea Dimaculangan made 10 excellent sets in their 25-19, 25-19, 25-21 victory over the Lady Realtors.
The Cignal HD Spikers, on the other hand, drew 17 points from new acquisition Jovelyn Gonzaga in beating Foton, 26-24, 20-25, 26-24, 13-25, 15-9.
Cignal aqcuired Gonzaga, the Invitational Conference MVP, along with Rachel Anne Daquis and Honey Royse Tubino from Army. They also signed up former Petron player Maica Morada.
Cignal Head Coach George Pascua, interestingly, is facing his former team Petron, which he led to two titles highlighted by a 13-0 sweep of the All-Filipino Conference in 2015 with Daquis and Morada.
Pascua will use his familiarity with the system he built while with Petron, which is now being run by his former assistant Shaq Delos Santos.
“We’re very familiar with Petron and we will use it as our biggest asset,” Pascua said.
“Also, one of our advantages over them is that we have reliable leaders on the floor. The experience and leadership of Rachel, Jovelyn and Maica is something you can’t ignore.”