THREE coaches say Foton has the advantage over F2 Logistics in the best-of-three finals series of the 2016 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference starting on Thursday at the Arena in San Juan.
RC Cola-Army coach Kungfu Reyes noted that Tornadoes are more experienced and that Jaja Santiago and Maika Ortiz will be too tough to handle with the solid support crew featuring Cherry Rondina, Patty Orendain and EJ Laure.
F2 Logistics crushed Foton in three sets in the first round but the Tornadoes got back with a four-set victory in the second round to hand the Cargo Movers their first and only loss of the season.
“Foton is peaking at the right time, which makes it even more dangerous,” said Reyes, whose Lady Troopers will battle last season’s champion Petron in the battle for third also on Thursday.
“I go for Foton. They have the power, the experience and the height to match or even surpass F2 Logistics. Yes, the core of F2 Logistics is fresh from winning the UAAP crown, but you can’t deny the fact that Foton also won the Grand Prix crown last year.”
Nene Chavez and Mayie Prochina share Reyes’ sentiment.
Chavez believes Santiago and Ortiz will get the job done.
“Jaja is 6-foot-5 and you can never teach height,” said Chavez, coach of Standard Insurance-Navy.
“Foton is playing a perfect game at this point. Halos walang butas. Everybody in the rotation is contributing.”
Prochina, for her part, said it’s an evenly matched battle but F2 Logistics has to play a perfect team game on both ends if it wants to pull the rug from under Foton.
“F2 Logistics obviously has been together and won a UAAP championship with La Salle,” said Prochina, an assistant coach at Generika.
“But they have to find ways to match the firepower of Rondina and Laure and stop the giants of Foton. F2 Logistics has the edge with experience on its side, but this is a team game so whoever jells well as a team will win the series. I still go for Foton.”
Generika head coach Francis Vicente, meanwhile, has picked the Cargo Movers, saying the battle would boil down to the better playmaker between Kim Fajardo of F2 Logistics and Rhea Dimaculangan of Foton in the finals of the tournament backed by KLab Cyscorpions, Mueller, Mikasa and Asics with TV5.
“It will all depend on the ability of the setter, on how they will perform,” Vicente said. “This is going to be an exciting series. It’s really hard to pick. Though I’m not underestimating Foton, I would go for F2 Logistics for having the chemistry and the experience after winning that UAAP crown.”