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Thursday, March 28, 2024

All set for inaugural men’s volley tourney–Spiker’s Turf

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A BATTLE royale for top honors looms in the inaugural men’s volleyball tournament, named Spikers’ Turf, set to open simultaneously with the 12th season of the Shakey’s V League at the Arena in San Juan City.

Organized by the Sports Vision, the same outfit that put up the popular women’s competition—Shakey’s V league—the Spikers’ Turf is regarded as the biggest and only men’s tournament in the country today.

The league opens with an eight-team field led by Team IEM, which topped the four-team, mini tournament inserted in the third conference of the Shakey’s V-League last year.

IEM will again parade its champion core led by Jason Canlas, Karl Ian dela Calzada and Carlo Almario, making itself  “the team to reckon with”, according to Sports Vision president Ricky Palou.

“But other teams like Cagayan and Ultera will surely give IEM a run for its money,” said Palou during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association at the Shakey’s in Malate.

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Sharing the same sentiment were coaches Ness Pamilar of Cagayan Valley and Ultera’s Roger Gorayeb, who joined Palou and Sports Vision chairman Moying Martelino in forum,  sponsored by Accel, San Miguel, Shakey’s and Pagcor.

Cagayan Valley will be anchored by Marck Espejo, the Most Valuable Player of the recent UAAP men’s volley competition, with back-ups Rex Intal, Rudy Gatdula and Eden Canlas.

Leading the Ultera squad is Howard Mojica, who powered Emilio Aguinaldo College to its first-ever NCAA crown, and St. Benilde power-hitter John Vic de Guzman.

The other teams are Cignal, which will be backstopped by Reyson Fuentes, member of the UAAP champion National University; Fourbees, Airforce, Army and Champion Infinity, which will parade actor-sportsman Richard Gomez.

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