Games Thursday
(PhilSports Arena)
2 p.m. — Petro Gazz vs ZUS Coffee
4 p.m. — Akari vs Capital1
6 p.m. — Cignal vs Choco Mucho
ON paper, everyone would agree that the Petro Gazz Angels should be the team to beat in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference based on the intact roster and the return of former Best Foreign Player Wilma Salas of Cuba.
It’s now up to the former two-time Reinforced Conference champions to live up to it.
Petro Gazz will get to prove it as it launches its ambitious campaign against a spruced up Zus Coffee in Thursday’s resumption of the PVL Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena.
Game time is at 2 p.m.
While most of the clubs were playing minus their stars following national team call ups, the Angels have kept their exact same core headed by Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips that finished third in the All-Filipino Conference early this year that installed them as the early favorites to win it all.
The comeback of Ms. Salas, who led the team to the first of its two Reinforced crowns in 2019, all the more made Petro Gazz stronger and better.
The Thunderbelles, meanwhile, will have to wait for the next conference before they break in newly-acquired first overall rookie pick Thea Gagate, who is still with Alas Pilipinas.
Zus, nonetheless, has four members of three-peat sweep champion College of St. Benilde in reigning NCAA Most Valuable Player Cloanne Mondonedo, Gayle Pascual, Jade Gentapa and Michelle Gamit who form the core of coach Jerry Yee.
Both Petro Gazz and Zus are bracketed in Pool B where the rest the four members will get to see action in a triple-header.
The other two matches pit Akari with Capital1 Solar at 4 p.m. and last conference’s runner-up Choco Mucho with equally dangerous Cignal at 6 p.m.
The opener featured Pool A teams that included early winners PLDT, Nxled and Cherry Tiggo, which hurdled defending champion Creamline, Galeries Tower and Farm Fresh, respectively.
In the absence of Gagate, expect No. 2 pick Leila Cruz to seize the limelight for the Roger Gorayeb-mentored Solar Spikers, who will parade Russian reinforcement Marina Tushova.
Also intriguing to watch is Ivy Lacsina, who will debut for Akari after her transfer from sister team Nxled a few months ago.
The Chargers will American Oluoma Okaro to lead the charge. — Joey Villar
