The round-robin semifinals of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference have been nothing short of intense, with the race to the finals heading down to the wire.
The four remaining contenders — Choco Mucho, Creamline, Petro Gazz, and Chery Tiggo — are engaged in a fierce battle, and the final playdate will be pivotal in determining which two teams will secure their spots in the championship round.
Here are the scenarios that could unfold on the last day of the semifinals.
Here are the set of clashes taking place on May 5, Sunday, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Creamline Cool Smashers (1-1) vs Chery Tiggo Crossovers (0-2)
- 4:00 p.m. LIVE on One Sports+ | Pilipinas Live app
- 10:00 p.m. SAME DAY telecast on One Sports
Choco Mucho Flying Titans (2-0) vs Petro Gazz Angels (1-1)
- 6:00 p.m. LIVE on One Sports+ | Pilipinas Live app
- 8:30 p.m. NEXT DAY telecast on One Sports
Scenario 1: Choco Mucho (2-0) and Creamline (1-1) win
In the scenario where Choco Mucho and Creamline both win their respective matches, the stage would be set for a rematch of the 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference finals.
A win for Creamline over Chery Tiggo would push the Crossovers to a 0-3 record, effectively eliminating them from the championship race. However, this is a challenging proposition for the Cool Smashers, who suffered a straight-set loss to Eya Laure and the rest of the streak-busting crew in the preliminaries.
Nevertheless, as long as the defending champions pull off a victory, even if it goes to five sets, they'll be in a strong position to reach the finals.
Likewise, if Choco Mucho defeats Petro Gazz, the Angels would fall to 1-2 and crash out of contention for a finals berth.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Royse Tubino grateful for support as she steps up in Choco Mucho’s title drive]
In this outcome, Creamline--with a 2-1 record--and Choco Mucho--with a perfect 3-0 record--would secure their spots in the championship round.
Scenario 2: Chery Tiggo (0-2) and Petro Gazz (1-1) win
In the scenario where Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz secure critical victories on the last day, the Angels would arrange a finals date with the Choco Mucho Flying Titans.
If the Crossovers manage to defeat the Cool Smashers, it would push the defending champions down to a 1-2 record. This result would likely eliminate Creamline from finals contention, with the Crossovers creating a shake-up in the semifinals.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Petro Gazz calls for officiating lapses to be addressed after controversial match vs Creamline]
Similarly, if Petro Gazz overcomes the top-seeded Choco Mucho, the Angels would secure a 2-1 record while dragging the Flying Titans down to the same 2-1 level. This outcome would confirm Petro Gazz's place in the championship round and throw Creamline out of contention.
Scenario 3: Creamline (1-1) and Petro Gazz (1-1) win
This is where it gets complicated.
If Creamline beats Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz defeats Choco Mucho, the result would be a triple-tie in the standings, with the Flying Titans, the Angels, and the Cool Smashers all holding 2-1 records.
In this scenario, points would determine who advances to the finals. As it stands, Choco Mucho has five points, Creamline has four, and Petro Gazz has three. The point system works as follows: 3 points for a 3-0 or 3-1 victory, 2 points for a 3-2 win, and 1 point for a 2-3 loss. No points are awarded for 0-3 or 1-3 losses or forfeits.
Here are the possible outcomes based on different match scenarios:
Petro Gazz beats Choco Mucho in three or four sets, and Creamline defeats Chery Tiggo in three or four sets: Petro Gazz would reach 6 points, Choco Mucho would stay at 5, and Creamline would climb to 7. This would see the Cool Smashers secure a spot in the finals. The Angels and the Flying Titans would then compete in a playoff on May 7 to decide the second finalist.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Tots Carlos repays Creamline’s support for KOVO endeavor with strong outing vs Petro Gazz]
Scenario 3-a: Both matches go to five sets with the same winners: Petro Gazz would end with five points, Choco Mucho and Creamline would both have six points. This would require the set ratio as a tiebreaker, where Choco Mucho would edge out Creamline, booking their place in the finals. Petro Gazz and Creamline would then compete for the remaining finals berth.
Scenario 3-b: Creamline wins in four sets or less, and Petro Gazz beats Choco Mucho in five sets: Creamline would reach seven points, Choco Mucho would have six, and Petro Gazz would also have six. This setup would advance the Cool Smashers to the finals, while the Angels and the Flying Titans would face each other in a playoff to determine the second finalist.
Scenario 3-c: Creamline wins in five sets, and Petro Gazz beats Choco Mucho in four sets or less: All three teams would have six points. In this case, set ratio and head-to-head results would determine who advances. Petro Gazz could potentially emerge as the top team, securing a spot in the finals. The other two teams would then play in a playoff for the second spot.
Scenario 4: Chery Tiggo (0-2) and Choco Mucho (2-0) win
If Chery Tiggo reasserts its mastery over Creamline and Choco Mucho dispatches Petro Gazz, another triple-tie in the standings will take shape, this time with the Crossovers, the Cool Smashers, and the Angels holding identical 1-2 records.
Again, tiebreakers will be taken into account. This time, the team with the lowest point total will be eliminated. As it stands, Creamline possesses four points, Petro Gazz holds three points, while Chery Tiggo has zero.
Here’s the thing. Regardless of how many sets will be played, the Cool Smashers--despite a potential loss--will still be eligible for a playoff. Reason being, the maximum points Petro Gazz can earn in a loss is four points, the same as Creamline’s current tally.
[ALSO READ: PVL semis: Creamline more vulnerable than ever?]
For Chery Tiggo, the situation is far more precarious. Only one scenario favors them: a sweep against Creamline while Choco Mucho secures a straight-set victory over Petro Gazz. In this scenario, the Crossovers would challenge the Cool Smashers in the playoff.
Any other result spells the end of the title aspirations of the Crossovers, as the Angels would either possess superior points or a better set ratio.
The games on Sunday will air on One Sports, One Sports+, and the Pilipinas Live app.