A BLOCKBUSTER showdown pitting Premier Volleyball League (PVL) giants Creamline and Petro Gazz will highlight the season ushering All-Filipino Conference unfolding Feb. 4 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Formerly known as the Open Conference, the All-Filipino tilt will parade an early clash of the titans as the Cool Smashers, winners of the Open and Invitational Conferences, battle the Angels, the Reinforced Conference titlists, in the main game at 6 p.m.
Opening up hostilities are Choco Mucho and Akari at 4 p.m.
Creamline is out to reclaim lost glory after it was denied of a historic Grand Slam following a third-place finish behind eventual winner Petro Gazz and runner-up Cignal.
The Sherwin Meneses-mentored franchise will parade a practically intact roster headed by skipper Alyssa Valdez, who, however, may be doubtful on this one and most of the team’s early games due to a knee injury she sustained late last conference.
“I’m doing my best to get back into shape and hoping I could play soon for the team,” Ms. Valdez recently told The STAR.
With or without Ms. Valdez, Creamline remains a potent force as it boasts of a roster comprising of two-time MVP Tots Carlos, Jia Morado, Jema Galanza, Jeanette Panaga, Ced Domingo, Kyla Atienza, Michele Gumabao and Risa Sato among others.
In contrast, Petro Gazz has revamped and tapped former Choco Mucho mentor Oliver Almadro as its coach in place of Rald Ricafort, who ended up with PLDT while letting go Bang Pineda and Myla Pablo. — Joey Villar