Marck Espejo of the Criss Cross King Crunchers. PVL Media
MANILA -- Marck Espejo believes Criss Cross is capable of claiming a breakthrough crown in the Spikers' Turf -- even if he and other key players will have to leave midway through the conference for national team duties.
The King Crunchers have been runners-up to archrival Cignal in their first three conferences in the league, and are hoping that they can capture their first crown in the 2025 Invitational that stars on Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
However, three of their main cogs -- Espejo, Kim Malabunga, and Eco Adajar -- are expected to leave the squad midway through the tournament once Alas Pilipinas begins its buildup for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, set for early December in Thailand.
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"For the past years, umaalis din ako, so nag-training sila non-stop. Mas buo talaga sila na Criss Cross kahit wala ako," said Espejo, who has often joined the King Crunchers late in the conference after fulfilling overseas commitments.
"Siguro magiging challenge lang 'to sa kanila kasi tatlong silver na kami. Nasa Criss Cross na yung hunger at pressure na this time, kailangan makuha na yung gold," he added.
To strengthen their campaign, Criss Cross bolstered its lineup in the off-season with the acquisition of Noel Kampton and Popoy Colinares, additions expected to enhance the team's depth and scoring options.
For Espejo, the upcoming tournament won't just be about firepower – it will test endurance and resilience.
"Medyo short lang din itong conference, so kung sino yung may malakas na katawan at walang injuries, yun ang aabot siguro. Confident ako na papasok ang Criss Cross sa Final Four," said Espejo.
Eight local squads, led by Cignal, will battle for the title, while two guest teams – Kindai University (Japan) and ProVolley Academy (Australia) – will join the semifinal stage to spice up the competition in the season-ending conference organized by Sports Vision.
Given the unusual situation of players being called up for national duty mid-conference, the league has introduced a special rule allowing affected teams to sign replacement players to fill their rosters and maintain competitive balance.
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