Noel Kampton was all over the stat sheet as the Criss Cross King Crunchers swept the Savouge Spin Doctors, extending their win streak to five straight in the Spikers' Turf.
Pressured to deliver as the only unbeaten squad left, Criss Cross proved its composure once again, fending off Savouge, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22, to extend its run to five games in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference on Wednesday at the Paco Arena.
The dynamic duo of Jude Garcia and Noel Kampton once again powered the King Crunchers with the three-time league MVP leading all scorers with 13 points, while the rookie from De La Salle University delivered 12 points built on seven attacks, three aces and one block.
Kampton also showcased his all-around game, tallying six excellent receptions and five excellent digs to complement his offensive output.
“Syempre nakaka-pressure ‘to – unbeaten team, tapos lahat ng teams, players, at manonood babantayan kami. Mage-expect sila,” said Kampton after the Rebisco-backed squad improved to 5-0 in the tournament organized by Sports Vision.
“Pero for me, sige lang – nandyan lang naman ‘yung standings. Ang importante, one game at a time. Kalimutan muna natin na 5-0 kami; basta pumunta kami sa game para manalo,” he added.
The rookie spiker also came through in the clutch, firing three service aces in a crucial 4-0 blast that turned a slim 17-15 edge into a commanding 21-15 cushion in the third set.
Savouge, however, refused to fold easily.
Dan Nicholas sparked a 4-0 counterattack to trim the gap to 19-21, but Criss Cross playmaker Adrian Villados halted the Spin Doctors’ charge with a crafty drop shot.
A Vince Imperial net violation gave the King Crunchers more breathing room before Mark Calado kept Savouge’s hopes alive with a late rally.
Still, Marck Espejo, who had earlier set up match point, delivered the finishing blow with a powerful cross-court kill, sealing Criss Cross’ one-hour, 22-minute triumph.
Villados dished out 20 excellent sets and chipped in three points, while Jaron Requinon added nine points and 10 excellent receptions.
Rookie middle blocker Edlyn Colinares also contributed eight markers, including three of the team’s 11 kill blocks.
Criss Cross (5-0) aims to keep its spotless record intact when it faces University of Santo Tomas-Gameville on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
For Savouge (2-2), Giles Torres led the way with 10 points, while Reymark Betco – who had back-to-back 20-point outings in their last two wins – was limited to just nine markers this time.
Shawie Caritativo finished with nine points and 15 excellent receptions, while Nicholas tallied eight points in a solid effort off the bench.
Savouge looks to bounce back when it battles PGJC-Navy (0-4) also on Sunday at 1 p.m.