BY winning their semis openers, Akari and Petro Gazz now have inside track on the two finals berths in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
READ: PVL TAKEAWAYS: Trouble in paradise for Creamline, Choco Mucho
Both teams can secure outright spots to the championship round and relegate the ‘Rebisco Clasico’ between Creamline and Choco Mucho from the finals last year to the battle for third this year.
Akari (1-0) vs. Creamline (0-1)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 1, 4 p.m.
WHERE: PhilSports Arena
WATCH: One Sports, One Sports+, RPTV, Pilipinas Live, pvl.ph/live
Petro Gazz (1-0) vs. Choco Mucho (0-1)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 1, 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: PhilSports Arena
WATCH: One Sports, One Sports+, RPTV, Pilipinas Live, pvl.ph/live
A rather unlikely finals matchup can come into fruition as early as Tuesday under one condition.
AKA win vs CCS + PGA win vs CMFT = AKA vs PGA in the finals
For context, here’s where the semifinalists stand after opening day of single-round robin play.
- PETRO GAZZ: 1-0 (3 pts; 4-set win vs CCS)
- AKARI: 1-0 (2 pts; 5-set win vs CMFT)
- CHOCO MUCHO: 0-1 (1 pt; 5-set loss to AKA)
- CREAMLINE: 0-1 (0 pts; 4-set loss to PGA)
The only way Petro Gazz and Akari can end the top two race on the second semis match day is if both of them win their penultimate games against sister teams Choco Mucho and Creamline, respectively.
This, however, would be easier said than done.
In seven all-time PVL meetings, Akari has never won against Creamline.
Their first five games all ended in four-set Creamline wins. The last two, which includes the 2024 Reinforced Conference finals and their out-of-town showdown in Candon last November, were both sweep wins for the defending champions.
Meanwhile, Choco Mucho has won four of its last six matches with Petro Gazz. The latter ruled the last two.
The Flying Titans have yet to defeat the Angels since last year’s All-Filipino Conference semifinals, exactly 331 days ago.
CCS win vs AKA + CMFT win vs PGA = No more chance for a CCS vs CMFT finals
If the sister teams manage to pull off twin wins over the current leaders, it will produce a bittersweet outcome entering the final day of semis play.
It’s because an all-Rebisco final will no longer be possible once all semifinalists draw level with 1-1 records.
With Creamline and Choco Mucho slated to play the semis finale on Thursday, only one of them can end up with a 2-1 record alongside either Akari or Petro Gazz.
Under these circumstances, the losing team in this sibling rivalry — one Creamline has won 16 of the last 17 times — will be relegated to the bronze medal series instead as the other heads on to the title series again.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
