Pick ‘em

Games today:

(Araneta Coliseum)

2 p.m. — PLDT vs Akari

5 p.m. — Petro Gazz vs ZUS Coffee

Three of the league’s most respected coaches believe the Petro Gazz-ZUS Coffee championship clash in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference is destined to be a razor-thin, down-the-wire battle.

Experience may be on Petro Gazz’s side, and firepower may lean toward ZUS Coffee’s explosive import-powered roster — but for Farm Fresh’s Alessandro Lodi, Capital1’s Jorge de Brito, and Chery Tiggo’s Norman Miguel, the Finals is as true a toss-up as the league has seen.

Lodi pointed out how the Angels survived a turbulent conference, remodeling their lineup multiple times across the prelims, quarterfinals and semifinals, only to lose reinforcement Lindsey Vander Weide just when they had found a rhythm.

“I know who will start for Petro Gazz on Sunday, but I can’t be sure how coach (Gary Van Sickle) will line them up,” he said. “Their best chance, in my opinion, is (Brooke) Van Sickle and Weide attacking from the left.”

Yet, he equally praised the Thunderbelles’ stability.

“ZUS Coffee’s system never changes — it’s reliable. Anna DeBeer is their winning joker, delivering amazing, but not surprising performances. She’s my pick for MVP,” Lodi added. “Can she carry them to the title? I bet she can. But there is no favorite. It’s a final — one game. Everything is equal.”

De Brito, who is also steering the Alas Pilipinas squad headed to the SEA Games in Thailand, declined to make predictions but echoed the belief that the championship showdown will be exceptional.

“It’s not easy… both teams are very good,” he said. “Petro Gazz has one of the best lineups in the Philippines. ZUS Coffee, on the other hand, showed up with maturity and confidence this entire conference. This will be an amazing final match.”

Miguel agreed, stressing that the matchup is too even, too emotionally charged, and too high-stakes for anyone to claim an advantage.

“Both teams deserve to be here. Petro Gazz is chasing a third title; ZUS Coffee is hungry for their first. In a match like this, the bigger heart and the more solid mindset will win,” he said.

Petro Gazz coach Gary Van Sickle, fresh off a thrilling five-set semifinal victory over Akari, acknowledged the enormous challenge ahead.

“We’re going to have to bring our A-game,” he said. “We’ll watch film, make adjustments, and prepare for another battle.”

Still, he maintains faith in his roster.

“It’s easy to coach this group. They’re tightly knit. Most of them, aside from the import, have won a championship together. When things get tough, they stay composed,” he said. “They make plays. They make my job easier.”

On the opposite bench, ZUS Coffee coach Jerry Yee continues to embrace the underdog role — something he says has fueled their fearless, overachieving run.

“Yes, we are the underdogs,” he said. “But the management is already very happy we reached the semis. They told us: ‘No pressure. Play freely.’”

Yet beneath that humility is a fighter’s mindset.

“We have come a long way, so why stop?” said Yee. “Anna gives us so much confidence. The locals are getting better. The whole team is improving. This is our chance. Why not take it?”

The Thunderbelles also enter the Finals holding a psychological edge, having swept the Angels in their 28 October elimination meeting. Still, Yee knows that a finals environment changes everything.

“We’ve played with them and the results were okay, but I’m sure there will be adjustments,” he said. “It’s all about matchups now — giving my players the best possible pairing and letting them work.”

And so, both squads step into the 5 p.m. one-game war at the Araneta Coliseum armed with talent, confidence, adjustments and something less tangible but equally powerful — Petro Gazz with experience and composure, ZUS Coffee with hunger and belief.

Between their strengths and their flaws lies a battlefield that both coaching staffs have picked apart during the two-day break.

In a championship decided by execution, poise and timing, it is rarely the most decorated team or the most hyped one that wins — but the one that performs when the game squeezes tightest.

This time, no one can say who that will be.