Posts by litolapid

    Yeah, CCS got the best pins of the country and personally the best fit for NT too for both defensive and offensive capabilities. I especially find it quite astonishing how Galanza actually flourished in the pros. She was kinda overlooked during her time especially with Paat (CTC lefty spiker), Tots Carlos, Pons (both CCS) and Rondina (CMFT) AND was seen more as a Beach Volleyball specialist. I think even the other CMFT OH (Molde and Cheng) was more known then.

    Watching that coolSMASHERS award ceremony almost made me cry. What a wonderful group of people. Seeing Tots and Alyssa Valdez there, and freaking Jia Guzman is a coolSMASHER. Did I miss Jessica Galanza there? This was like a Creamline B Team that won it. Jumping geebus

    TBH, this is not even a standard B team. Pons is one of the biggest indoor collegiate star like of her time. Best scorer of her team from her first year til she graduated. They were highly celebrated before they went full Beach Volleyball. Gumabao is a multi-awarded OPP of DLSU (the Formosa team). In fact, it was Galanza and the MBs were somewhat of an underrated player that only became more famous with CCS. The pins of this team is just the best of the best.

    Late Check-in

    • DLSU vs Red-Sparks, and Victory VB Club - La Salle was relatively improving. I think the setting is still the biggest sore thumb that first game but Tolentino(main setter) really improved. She really got her footing during the Red Sparks game AND distributed the hell of her balls (a DLSU standard). Still has some errors (esp during the Victory game) . The MBs for me are the most impressive all throughout the competition. They were hitting really well and blocking nicely. Canino and Raterta was fine. I think their reception can be better but they were good offensively. Laput-Pado is very streaky though. Has great moments but has a tendency to do "pushy" spikes which was easy peasy for some players. Red Sparks is just much better as a whole but the Victory VB Club win was very convincing
    • CIG vs KUR - Lovely match. I think CIG should have won that in 4 but KUR really just has grit. They work the errors out of CIG and forced that fifth set. By the end though, CIG gave them the taste of their own medicine AND out defended them in a crucial juncture lead by Cayuna defensively(whom I had criticized for her mentality way back lol) AND Perez offensively. Cayuna literally dug the heck out of Ablaze during the fifth set. I also agree that Oshima took far too many 1-2 dumps towards the end. They kinda miss Tamaru's offense this year. CIG finally break through the finals since the last 2022 Reinforced. Always 3rd place (record of 5 times) in PVL League.

    This is the team that Paint Master NU(VTV team) can't defeat. They only won the last Championship since the F2-DLSU lost against another team in the Semifinals. The setters and the MBs are new so they are not as flawless as they are last year but you could see standouts like Canino, Provido and Laput/Pado playing. Coronel and Gagate from PHI NT just graduated from this team. They are practically rebuilding right now.

    I AGREE ON THE APPROACH comment. My god, I always talk about that on live chats. A lot of tall players of PHI waits for the ball after they jump rather than adjusting when they are about to jump. See Panique(NU-Paint Master) and some of the DLSU players (see Laput and Malaluan) too. It makes her offense inconsistent in terms of power AND has that pushy quality that often times focuses on forcing the ball over empty spots and not even bothering with using the block.

    The best 6 seems weird... I don't think some of them were the statistical leaders. Looks like they just picked one per team.

    They were somewhat statistical. I think Perez ultimately usurp Tushova (#1 Scorer, #3 Spiker,#8 Server, #29 Digger, #40 Blocker = 40 +38+37+ 0+ 12) since she is #11 Receiver, #4 Scorer, #13 Digger, #10 Spiker, #5 Server (30+37+28+31+36). She practically leap over her through Blocking and Digging. Tubu winning over PLDT's Santos is weird though. Santos (#7 Spiker, #9 Blocker, #18 Scorer, #51 Serve, #33 Digger) got 95 stat points over Tubu's 75 (#5 Spiker, #14 Scorer, #34 Blocker, #20 Server) . Eroa definitely won the best libero, so does Clemente and Baron for MB.


    On CIG vs PLDT: CIG just have more drive and has better distribution.They always weird me out since they tend to be not the best reception and efficiency wise but they just keep going up against top tier teams. Its kinda sad that they were fighting for third yet again. They really put themselves in that position when they let AKA win against them.


    On CCS vs AKA: The common component to be competitive against CCS is to have openers that can receive heavy serves and still be focused after being dug to high heavens. Only PLDT, CIG and CMFT (on a good day),and PGA can really do that to them. Lacsina is still not on that level. She can can be service targeted (which she did fine - not the best) but she really floundered in her offense. CCS just played their game and defeated them squarely. A lot of first timers on their side in the finals too.





    PLDT definitely pulled out. I think the injury issue is true, some of their top guns is missing (especially Davison -their Fil-Am Player, and Dy, OPP Recruit) and Nat'l team players are still not allowed back to their teams (ie Palomata - the MB). The invitational is open for Imports too so that might also be a factor. A lot of teams declined being the replacement for the Invitational due to that reason.

    I know that maybe there should be some call out against PLDT, but that bad call during set point usually leads to the team who lost the point to almost always fall into errors (see OG2024 FRA vs SLO, I think GER-FRA too) and lose. I see it time and time again. I actually did initially think that AKA will take it given their firepower but PLDT was just playing. I think what upsets me the most is that they gave the point given that it was a 'denied' challenge. lol

    But anyhow. I think CCS will win still. They just have better defense and offense. CIG's biggest strength has always been their distribution but let's see.

    AND CCS is in the finals. They just have the composure. Cayuna (CIG Setter) was so flustered during the crucial moment AND has been pulling them down so many times already. She kinda reminds me of Seki of JPN lol. Great setter until its time to finish.

    I know that maybe there should be some call out against PLDT, but that bad call during set point usually leads to the team who lost the point to almost always fall into errors (see OG2024 FRA vs SLO, I think GER-FRA too) and lose. I see it time and time again. I actually did initially think that AKA will take it given their firepower but PLDT was just playing. I think what upsets me the most is that they gave the point given that it was a 'denied' challenge. lol

    But anyhow. I think CCS will win still. They just have better defense and offense. CIG's biggest strength has always been their distribution but let's see.

    I'm not going to complain that you guys are spoiling my fun with these facts and whatnot :lol:

    I still don't quite get how they "denied the challenge". Are they saying they didn't have the right to challenge (what does that mean?) or that there was no net touch (because it was just hair?) ... or that they couldn't determine if there actually was a net touch because their replay system was incapable? There's clear video of something happening!

    Very sad that this Akari team has baggage, apparently a lot of it. I like them a lot ... what is this "Cobb" team business?

    They just denied it. No reasons at all. There was a snip of the referees with the actual video of the challenge going around literally AND the reason PSL(the disbanded League) was created was due to the fact there was so much corruption within the PVL.

    link

    link2

    Its quite common for 'favored' teams. CCS and CMFT for fan-base reasons (they give the attendance) then I guess AKA too.

    AKARI is a lifestyle and electronics company (see lights, electric fans). They are huge due to their connection with the Condominium business in Manila where they are the main suppliers.

    I don’t understand that part. Can you expand?

    Usually, the PHI leagues have three conferences. An Invitational (top local teams + two invited Intl teams akin to VTV), All Filipino - which is the banner conference during the real Club Season internationally and, the Reinforced (during Nat'l team period though they broke that cycle during the 2022 Calendar). Usually the pick for National team is during the All Filipino tournament.


    They copied it from the PSL League that got disbanded during the Pandemic. The 2023 Calendar does not have a Reinforced Season due to some issue with the main organizers and the local Volleyball body.