Petro Gazz not keen on allowing finals rivals a Game 3 lifeline
Games on Thursday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Akari (Battle for Third)
6:30 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs Creamline (Finals)
NO TOMORROW.
That’s how Jonah Sabete and the title-hungry Petro Gazz Angels are going to treat Game Two of their best-of-three Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference title showdown against the Creamline Cool Smashers on Thursday as they go for the jugular at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We’ll play Game 2 like there’s no tomorrow,” said the high-leaping, power-hitting Sabete, who was instrumental in that gripping 25-17, 25-20, 18-25, 20-25, 15-10 win in last Tuesday’s series opener with her 16-point effort.
“Although we know Creamline will come out fighting, we can’t afford to let the series go into another game,” she added.
Given a chance, the Cool Smashers, owners of a four-peat feat and 10 championships in all, have been known for their incredible resiliency as evidenced by their last finals duel with the Angels two years ago.
There, the dynastic franchise came fighting back after dropping Game One by taking the last two games and the crown.
That memory still rankled until Thursday as it has deprived the franchise, winner of two Reinforced Conference crowns but none outside it, the elusive All-Filipino championship.
“We can’t think of that anymore. We have to focus on the task at hand, which is to win a championship,” said Petro Gazz spiker MJ Phillips, who also dropped 16 hits including clutch ones in the fifth and deciding set.
Brooke Van Sickle, who was the anchor that kept her team afloat following her 24-point masterpiece, said Petro Gazz needs to be ready against a Creamline team that is expected to give it its all to take Game Two set at 6:30 p.m. and force a decider on Saturday at the PhilSports Arena.
“I’m expecting Creamline to come out with their best volleyball on Thursday. We need to be ready. We can’t let the energy drop, especially not against a team like Creamline,” she said. — Joey Villar
