Photo: Spikers' Turf Media

By Rachel Gonzales

The Criss Cross King Crunchers finally claimed their long-awaited Spikers’ Turf championship, surviving Japanese guest team Kindai University in a five-set classic, 25-15, 25-21, 23-25, 23-25, 22-20, in Saturday’s winner-take-all Invitational Conference final at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

Criss Cross nearly fell short again after losing a two-set lead and facing six match points in the deciding fifth, the last at 19-20.

But rookie Noel Kampton scored off the block to tie the match, and Jude Garcia delivered a sharp cross-court hit for a 21-20 edge before Haruka Misugi’s attack error sealed the championship for the King Crunchers.

Garcia powered the breakthrough win with 35 points built on 34 kills, capping the night with his fourth Conference MVP.

“We just kept telling each other to stay composed,” Garcia said. “As long as we could side out, we’d be fine. I told myself to stay calm and focus on the next serve. That’s how we took the game.”

Finals MVP and Best Setter Adrian Villados tallied 34 excellent sets, while Best Middle Blocker Poy Colinares added 15 points, including five blocks. Nico Almendras chipped in 15 points and 19 receptions, and Kampton posted 13 points, 15 receptions and nine digs.

The King Crunchers also won despite missing Alas Pilipinas members Marck Espejo, Kim Malabunga, Lucca Mamone and Eco Adajar, who had just returned from a training camp in Taiwan ahead of next month’s Southeast Asian Games. The national team players watched from the sidelines as Criss Cross made history.

The title erased years of frustration for Criss Cross, which finished runner-up to Cignal in the last three editions. Cignal settled for bronze this time.

Kindai, which handed Criss Cross its only loss in the semifinals last week, still ended with the best finish by a guest team in Spikers’ Turf history.

Haruka led the Japanese squad with 27 points, while Yoshiki Yasuda added 22.