While the quarterfinal cast is already set, the final rankings remain in flux, turning the last two playdates of the preliminaries into a virtual chessboard where the top teams can – intentionally or not – shape their prospective knockout opponents beginning Monday (Nov. 24) at the Araneta Coliseum.
The looming final shuffle gives frontrunners a chance to secure more favorable quarterfinal draws based on the current standings. Yet in a knockout environment where momentum, mettle and mastery often outweigh paper records, no team can afford to take anything for granted.
As structured, the quarterfinals pit No. 1 vs No. 8, No. 2 vs No. 7, No. 3 vs No. 6 and No. 4 vs No. 5. Winners advance to the semifinals – another sudden-death stage – before the last two survivors clash in a one-game championship duel.
Currently, PLDT, ZUS Coffee and Farm Fresh are locked in a tight race for the No. 1 seed with identical 6-1 slates, each angling not only for the prestige of topping the table but also for a potentially favorable matchup against No. 8, currently Capital1.
ZUS Coffee opens today’s (Tuesday) explosive triple-header at 1:30 p.m., battling winless Nxled. Despite their first stumble – courtesy of Cignal’s surge – the Thunderbelles are tipped to handle the 0-7 Chameleons, a win that could keep them firmly in the hunt for the top two seeds.
PLDT’s path, however, is much trickier. The High Speed Hitters close their prelims campaign on Thursday against the two-time Reinforced Conference champions Petro Gazz Angels, a team fully capable of derailing their bid for the No. 1 spot.
A PLDT victory could set up a quarterfinal duel versus Capital1; a loss could send the PVL On Tour and Invitational champions tumbling into a more dangerous bracket – possibly against either Petro Gazz or Cignal.
Meanwhile, Akari sits in fifth at 4-3 and is bracing for a potentially lethal showdown with No. 4 Creamline – a team whose championship pedigree, endgame poise and knack for rising during do-or-die matches make them the most feared No. 4 seed in conference history.
Yet, the Chargers refuse to be rattled.
“It's a process, even though it's a long process na sabihin nating makuha yung magandang chemistry ng team, but it's a process na di kayang gawin overnight,” said Akari head coach Tina Salak.
“But we're still looking forward to end this second round with a win again. Ang gandang prep din for quarterfinals, but still, hoping kami sa run ng team namin for this conference,” added Salak, whose Chargers face the eliminated Choco Mucho Flying Titans at 4 p.m.
Creamline, for its part, is eyeing more than stability. A victory over No. 6 Cignal at 6:30 p.m. could lift the Cool Smashers to No. 3 – a shift that would drastically redraw the quarterfinal picture. Should Cignal win and results elsewhere fall into place, the two squads could also meet in the quarterfinals, a blockbuster pairing much earlier than expected.
Despite slipping from their familiar spot at the top, the 10-time league champions remain upbeat and confident in their chances.
“Every game naman talaga, yung adjustment kung sino yung kalaban mo – yung adjustment, lagi naman nandiyan. I think yung momentum ng Cignal talagang sobrang taas. Talagang dapat matapatan mo yung momentum nila,” said Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses.
The possibilities multiply further as Thursday’s card unfolds. Capital1 (No. 8) tries to gain traction against winless Galeries at 1:30 p.m., hoping to rise to No. 7 and avoid a bracket-leading titan. The Foxies challenge also-ran Chery Tiggo at 4 p.m. in their own bid for the No. 1 seed. The nightcap features the highly anticipated PLDT–Petro Gazz collision – perhaps the biggest determinant of the final Top 8 matrix.
With so many quarterfinal scenarios at play, fans are assured of high-stakes volleyball in the final two prelim dates – an intense warmup to the knockout rounds of this import-flavored conference organized by Sports Vision and backed by ICTSI, Milcu, Mikasa, and Fabriano. The drama, strategy and sheer unpredictability of the standings ensure the excitement will only escalate as the bracket solidifies.
