Photo: Spikers' Turf

By Tiffany Dela Cruz

Criss Cross star Jude Garcia extended his Spikers’ Turf dominance, winning a fifth straight Most Valuable Player (MVP) award to headline the 2026 Open Conference Elite Team.

The 27-year-old outside wing spiker,who also bagged the Best Opposite Spiker award, led the Open Conference in scoring (201 points on 162 attacks, 27 blocks, 12 aces), while also topping the spiking (50.78 percent) and serving (0.27 aces per set) charts.

Garcia also ranked fourth in blocking (0.61 per set) and eighth in digging (0.95 per set), highlighting his all-around impact.

Photo: Spikers' Turf

He capped his impressive stint with a first-ever Finals MVP after steering Criss Cross to the championship against Savouge, averaging 21.0 points per game in the three-game Finals series.

Savouge’s Shawie Caritativo and Criss Cross’ Alche Gupiteo were named Best Outside Spikers.

Caritativo earned his third Best Outside Spiker award after finishing ninth in scoring (115 points), while also ranking among the league leaders in serving (0.15 aces per set), spiking (40.77 percent), receiving (59.15 percent efficiency), and digging (0.91 per set). 

Photo: Spikers' Turf

Gupiteo, in his debut conference, finished fourth in scoring (159 points) and made an immediate impact across multiple categories—spiking (47.19 percent), serving (0.11 aces per set), and receiving (55.46 percent efficiency).

JP Bugaoan of Savouge and Lloyd Josafat of Criss Cross were named Best Middle Blockers.

Bugaoan won his fifth Best Middle Blocker citation after leading the league in blocking (41 total blocks, 0.87 per set), while also finishing fifth in scoring (131 points), while Josafat earned his first award after ranking third in blocking (35 total blocks, 0.80 per set).

Criss Cross’ Adrian Villados and AEP-Cabstars’ Vince Lorenzo completed the Elite Team as Best Setter and Best Libero.

Villados led all setters (5.84 excellent sets per set), while Lorenzo claimed his third Best Libero award after topping the league in digging (2.30 per set) and ranking fourth in receiving (57.99 percent efficiency).