Battling nerves, breakout star Jaron Requinton stepped up in the clutch to give Criss Cross one last shot at glory in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference last Friday night.
After a heartbreaking loss in Game 1, the King Crunchers came into Game 2 with fire in their eyes, racing to a dominant 2-0 set lead and putting Cignal on the ropes.
But just when it seemed like the tide had fully turned, the defending champions dug deep, mounting a gritty comeback to force a fifth and final set. With momentum on their side, the HD Spikers surged ahead, taking a 7-4 advantage early in the decider to inch closer to the crown.
Criss Cross, however, refused to fold. Marck Espejo and Gian Glorioso rose to the challenge, keeping the King Crunchers in the fight before Cignal managed to tie the score at 11.
Then came Requinton’s moment.
With the tension at its peak and the game hanging in the balance, the 24-year-old opposite hitter — despite nearly succumbing to the pressure — took on the challenge and delivered back-to-back hits to give Criss Cross a 13-11 advantage.
That proved to be the spark they needed, as the King Crunchers closed out the set and secured a hard-fought 25-20, 25-15, 18-25, 22-25, 15-12 victory, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday and keeping their championship hopes alive.
Requinton proved to be the X-factor in Game 2, tallying 17 points in the do-or-die match. He had been limited to just five points in their five-set loss in Game 1 last Wednesday.
(C) Spikers Turf Images
“Yung pumasok sa isip ko talaga nung buong fifth set, hindi ko lang pinapahalata pero kinakabahan ako,” said Requinton. “Pero nung nandun si kuya Marck or one of our teammates nag sabi na walang imposible.
“Yun lang ‘yung word ko na sinasabi ko nung fifth set sa kanila na walang imposible hanggang nagulat nalang kami nag-all-7 tapos nag 8-7 lumamang kami. ‘Yun na talaga, wala talagang imposible,” he added.
The 6-foot-2 winger, known for his upbeat presence both on and off the court throughout the tournament, wrote a simple yet meaningful reminder to himself on the tape around his hand, inscribing “Happy Happy” to keep his spirits high.
Carrying head coach Tai Bundit’s iconic line helped Requinton shake off the pressure, enabling him to play with a clear mind and the same joy that had fueled his strong performances throughout the tournament.
“Kailangan maging positive ako kasi ‘yung nakasulat sa kamay ko, ‘happy’, so kailangan i-adopt ko kung ano ‘yung nilagay ko sa kamay ko. So kung may malungkot sa loob ng court or nawawala, dapat ako ‘yung magli-lift up sa kanila,” said the former national team beach volleyball star.
“Kung positive ‘yung mga kasama ko sa loob court, sino ba naman ako para maging negative,” he added.
Now a win away from securing their first-ever Spikers’ Turf title, Requinton feels determined to carry the momentum from his Game 2 performance into the final showdown and do whatever it takes to help Criss Cross get over the hump.
#WATCH: “WALANG IMPOSIBLE”
Jaron Requinton draws inspiration from Marck Espejo and Criss Cross as he delivers a clutch performance in Game 2 🏐
📹 @jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times#SpikersTurf2025 pic.twitter.com/DkMVutoUtO
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) April 4, 2025
