Creamline, Petro begin title showdown

MANILA, Philippines — Creamline and Petro Gazz, the Premier Volleyball League’s most titled teams in recent years, wage war once more when they clash in Game 1 of the best-of-three All-Filipino Conference finals today at the MOA Arena.

The Cool Smashers will come in as the heavy favorites having won all but one of their eight elimination-round games and sweeping the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in two games in the semis.

The defending champions also routed the Angels, 25-18, 25-20, 25-22, in their first meeting in the elims last Feb. 4 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Maganda laban,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses ahead of the series opener.

In contrast, Petro Gazz had to scratch and fight its way just to make it to the semis where it needed the full, three-game route to edge a feisty PLDT side and claim the second finals berth.

Petro Gazz coach Oliver Almadro gave a stern warning that his team isn’t a pushover.

“Many will underestimate us and say we’re not popular and we’re not good,” said Almadro, who is making his first finals trip in the league right on his first conference with his new team.

“But the performance will show itself, we will show the people we are a team deserving to be here in the finals,” he added.

Creamline stretched its run of excellence as it has sealed its eighth finals appearance highlighted by five titles, two runner-up finishes and three third-place efforts.

Interestingly, Creamline has faced Petro Gazz in the finals thrice, winning two of them that both came in the then Open Conference.

Petro Gazz, for its part, is on its fourth finals appearance after winning twice in the Reinforced Conference last December and four years ago.

It will claim its first All-Filipino crown should it end up slaying the league’s dragon – Creamline.