Goma leads PLDT tossers in Super Liga

MANILA, Philippines - Top celebrity Richard Gomez will be back in sneakers, plunging back to volleyball hard court as among lead players of PLDT My DSL team versus Systema in the opener of the Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix today at The Arena in San Juan.

PLDT My DSL, Systema, Maybank and Gilligans, teams composed of former collegiate rivals, make the roster of participants in the inaugural men’s tourney in Super Liga.

Meanwhile, the TMS Lady Troopers defend the ladies crown versus the Cignal HD Spikers, the Petron Blaze Spikers, the Cagayan Valley Rising Sun, the PLDT Big Boosters and newcomer the RC Cola Raiders.

Petron and Cagayan clash in the opening ladies match at 2 p.m. before the Gomez-led PLDT My DSL squad tangles with Systema at 4 p.m.

“It’s high time for us to have this men’s volleyball tourney,” said Gomez during the pre-tournament press conference at Wack Wack in Mandaluyong yesterday.

“Volleyball is the second most played sport in the country. Hopefully, we can be catalysts to make the sport bigger and better,” Gomez, who also serves as league ambassador, added.

Meanwhile, PSL chairman Philip Ella Juico announced proceeds from games today and Friday will be donated to victims of the recent earthquake and the super typhoon Yolanda.

“This is a volleyball league with a conscience. We’ll help uplift the condition of people,” Juico said.

Competing teams expect a close fight for the championships on both divisions.

Spicing up the ladies side are two imports each for the protagonists. TMS and Petron are beefed up by Japanese reinforcements, Cignal by Chinese, Cagayan Valley by Thais, PLDT by Americans and RC Cola by a Chinese and a Thai.

PSL officials said the women’s clubs are now all registered with the international federation and so do the imports.

The tourney runs through Dec. 15 with both the men’s and women’s sides playing a single round in the elimination phase.

In the men’s side, it’s No. 1 versus No. 4 and No. 2 against No. 3 in the semifinals.

In the distaff side, the top two automatically advance to the Final Four. The next four dispute the last two semis seats with No. 3 playing No. 6 and No. 4 fighting No. 5.