The Savouge Spin Doctors wasted no time announcing their arrival, dismantling 3B in straight sets to complete the favored teams’ sweep on opening day of the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Wednesday night, Feb. 25. Playing at the FilOil Playtime Centre in San Juan, the retooled Savouge squad displayed balance and depth in a clinical 25-15, 25-17, 25-20 victory that lasted one hour and 20 minutes.

Reinforcements Louie Ramirez and JP Bugaoan, both former Cignal standouts, immediately made their presence felt as the Spin Doctors positioned themselves as an early threat in the tournament organized by Sports Vision. Their presence gave Savouge added scoring punch and stability on both ends of the floor.

Savouge shows depth in convincing win

Ramirez led a balanced offensive effort with nine points, while Shawie Caritativo, Mark Calado, Louis Gamban and Bugaoan each chipped in seven markers. The Spin Doctors controlled the match from the opening exchanges and never allowed 3B to gain sustained momentum.

Savouge overpowered its opponent across key statistical areas, finishing with a commanding 41-29 advantage in attacks. The Spin Doctors also ruled the frontcourt with a 13-4 edge in blocks and posted a 3-1 margin in service aces to underline their all-around superiority.

Head coach Sydney Calderon welcomed the strong start but emphasized that the team is still building chemistry. “So far, konting push na lang kami sa jelling nila, but I’m happy kung ano ‘yung naging performance nila this game,” Calderon said.

Calderon warns against complacency

Despite the emphatic victory, Calderon reminded his players to maintain focus moving forward and continue respecting every opponent. He stressed that consistency and continued improvement remain the team’s priorities early in the conference.

“Happy ako sa performance nila kasi ‘yun naman ‘yung sabi ko na we treat every team equally. Bago man or ‘yung mga mainstay dito sa Spikers’ Turf, nandun ‘yung respect namin sa lahat ng teams,” he added.

With the win, the Savouge Spin Doctors joined Alpha Insurance and Criss Cross atop the early standings after the other contenders also posted straight-set triumphs. The early results underscored just how competitive the conference is shaping up to be.

Carl Berdal provided the lone spark for 3B, finishing with 14 points on 13 attacks and one block while adding four excellent digs. Bonjomar Castel and Israel Encina contributed six points apiece in the losing effort.

3B aims to regroup when it faces VNS Always Bright Laticrete on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the same venue. The team will look to clean up its errors and respond with a stronger showing in its next outing.