Kobe Shinwa’s trademark energy and playful sideline cheers helped fuel their dramatic comeback win over Chery Tiggo to clinch a spot in the 2025 PVL Invitational Finals.
Kobe Shinwa needed more than just grit to bring them to the 2025 PVL Invitational Finals.
The Japanese collegiate squad turned their bench into a cheering squad on Friday, August 29, unleashing non-stop chants, claps, and playful antics that became just as much a spectacle as the match itself.
Those cheers proved to be the hidden fuel in their reverse sweep of the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, 21-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-6, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Head coach Kiyokazu Yamamoto credited not just his starters but the entire squad for creating that infectious energy.
“As I always say, you can't win with just the seven people on the court,” Yamamoto stressed during the post-game press conference.
“You have to work together with the bench and the staff. Each person’s power is small, but when you combine them, you can fight against a strong opponent.”
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Since joining the league for the Invitationals, Kobe Shinwa’s infectious energy has been the talk among PVL fans.
From synchronized chants and choreographed claps on the bench to a lighthearted locker room TikTok, the team showed they knew how to mix intensity with fun.
The players themselves couldn’t stop smiling as their sideline antics became a rallying force, hyping up the teammates on the court every single play.
“It’s important for us, especially when we’re not playing well on the court, to hear the cheers from my teammates on the bench. It really helps us,” said setter and team captain Sakura Furuta.
Now headed to the Finals against PLDT, Kobe Shinwa will bank on their energy and youth once more in the hopes of becoming the second foreign team to become PVL champions.