Choco can’t wait to reach finals

MANILA, Philippines — When Dante Alinsunurin was given the job as Choco Mucho coach last year, the one goal he first envisioned to accomplish was to steer the franchise to its breakthrough Premier Volleyball League championship.

He isn’t about to veer away from it now.

“Excited kami makapasok sa finals. Ito naman talaga gusto namin mangyari simula ng umupo ako as coach,” said Alinsunurin as his Flying Titans shoot for the first seat to the PVL All-Filipino Conference finals when they meet Petro Gazz today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

A victory by the Flying Titans, who hurdled their first two semifinal assignments over the Creamline Cool Smashers and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, over the Angels in their 6 p.m. duel would catapult the former straight to the best-of-three finale on Thursday at the Big Dome.

If it happens, it will be the second straight finals appearance for Choco Mucho, which also made it that far last conference before eventually getting swept in two games by Creamline.

And Alinsunurin stressed this is a chance of a lifetime that they need to take advantage of.

“Kailangan na rin nila talaga makuha championship kasi sobra tagal na nila nasa PVL hindi pa nakukuha,” he said.

Meanwhile, Creamline hopes to stay in finals contention as it shoots for another win against Chery Tiggo at 4 p.m.

The dynastic franchise is coming off a tight 27-25, 23-25, 27-25, 26-24 win over Petro Gazz in a game where first referee Roberto Celso made a controversial call late in the third set of that heated game.

PVL president Ricky Palou yesterday confirmed that Celso will not officiate for now until they make a final decision either today or tomorrow.

The specific call came in the third set, with the score tied at 25. Celso awarded a point for the Angels but reversed the call after an assistance from one of the line judges.

Palou said Celso could have used his discretion to request for a video challenge himself to validate if his call was correct or not.