The heart of a champion will be tested one last time at the 2023 PVL All-Filipino finals as the Creamline Cool Smashers and Petro Gazz Angels leave it all on the line in a do-or-die Game 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday, March 30, 5:30 pm.
Looking to defend their All-Filipino title, the shorthanded yet still stacked Cool Smashers are leaning on MVP candidate Tots Carlos, superstar setter Jia de Guzman, and the resurgent Michele Gumabao to carry the offense, with the likes of Jema Galanza and Kyla Atienza providing defensive support.
Petro Gazz, on the other hand, is no stranger to adversity and recovering from it. Expect the veteran Angels core of Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Rem Palma, and Djanel Cheng to quickly brush off the Game 2 loss and get back to their winning ways at Philippine pro volleyball’s biggest stage.
Will Creamline prove it can win it all with a shorthanded roster or will Petro Gazz stay the course and finally reach the top without foreign help?
Build up to PVL All-Filipino Conference finals
Creamline once again finished first in the standings with a 7-1 record and look poised as ever to bring home another title, defeating the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in the semifinals.
Petro Gazz likewise had an impressive All-Filipino campaign as they finished with a 6-2 record. The Angels outlasted the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the semifinals to set up their date with Creamline.
Odds favor Creamline
The Cool Smashers have the edge over the Angels when the two teams meet in a PVL finals.
Their first finals match dates back to the 2019 PVL Reinforced Conference, where Petro Gazz would go on to win the championship in the deciding Game 3.
Creamline would exact revenge in the following tournament, winning the 2019 Open Conference.
And just last year, the Cool Smashers dominated their way to win the 2022 Open Conference, beating the Angels again in the finals.
Even in the eliminations, Creamline has had the advantage over Petro Gazz. The last preliminaries win that the Angels had over the Cool Smashers dated all the way back to the 2019 Reinforced Conference.
In short, it’s been nearly four years since Petro Gazz has had a victory over their rivals.
Can’t count out the Angels
Despite the numbers favoring Creamline, one can never count out Petro Gazz.
After winning the 2022 Reinforced Conference, they lost Myla Pablo in the offseason along with coach Rald Ricafort.
It seemed as if Petro Gazz was set to make a rebuild—but don’t tell that to the ladies in red.
The Angels brought in coach Oliver Almadro and with some roster additions, Petro Gazz remained to be a force to be reckoned with.
But the question still remains, can the Angels finally get over the hump and defeat the Cool Smashers for the title?
We’ll find out starting tomorrow, March 26 when the two squads battle it out in Game 1 of the All-Filipino finals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
