Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor placed his full trust in Owa Retamar, and the talented setter responded with a stellar performance, leading the team to a dominant victory in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference championship.
Clamor shared that he reached out to Retamar the night before Game 3, challenging him to devise strategies to counter Criss Cross and take charge of the game with confidence and leadership.
“Talagang last night, I texted Owa. Sabi ko ‘Owa, pag-aralan mo kung paano tayo mananalo sa Criss Cross.’ So binigay ko sa kanya — ‘yun lang naman yun eh, of course, meron kaming sistema, pero if I let him play kung paano siya maglaro, at kung paano niya galawin talaga,” said Clamor.
Retamar gladly took on the challenge, staying up late to take notes on his phone, and applied his strategies during the do-or-die match. The HD Spikers outmuscled the King Crunchers in straight sets — 25-22, 25-16, 27-25 — securing their rare three-peat.
The former National University star playmaker delivered 24 excellent sets, a testament to his dedication and the trust Clamor placed in him. The head coach leaned on Retamar’s leadership to guide the team in the most important game of the conference.
(C) Spikers Turf Images
Retamar came up clutch in the extended third set, teaming up with Lloyd Josafat to form a formidable two-man block that denied Marck Espejo above the net, giving Cignal a 27-26 edge. This set the stage for Steven Rotter to deliver the championship-clinching point.
For his part, the former league Best Setter expressed his confidence in his ability to deliver what Clamor asked of him. The only uncertainty on his mind was whether Clamor would use him as the starting setter in Game 3, given that the head coach had used different combinations — including backup setters Cian Silang and EJ Casana — in the past.
Given the primary setter role in the all-important match, Retamar ensured he repaid Clamor’s trust by delivering a convincing performance that led Cignal to the promised land.
“Unang-una kasi kilala ko sarili ko na pag mga crucial moments alam kong kaya kong i-handle. Nung tinanong ko si coach Dex kung ako ‘yung gagamitin niya, pinag-aralan ko kagabi. Nagsulat pa ko sa notes ko sa cellphone — nilista ko paano ako aatake,” said Retamar.
“Binigyan ako ng kumpyansa ni Coach Dex. Ayoko na sayangin.”
Clamor praised Retamar for embracing the challenge, stepping up when it mattered most, and delivering under pressure to help secure the title in what turned out to be one of the squad’s most challenging campaigns in recent memory.
“Kung ano yung game plan, most especially si Owa. Talagang trinabaho ni Owa kung ano yung magiging offensive system and at the same time, itong si Louie [Ramirez] naging aggressive and [Steven] Rotter,” said the six-time Spikers’ Turf champion coach.
“Kumbaga, hindi lang sila, as in lahat ng players talaga nag-contribute para makuha yung championship so. Yeah, si Lord yung nagtrabaho sa’min sa game today.”
