Advantages and second opportunities will be the theme for the qualifying round of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference which begins next Thursday, February 27.
The preliminary round of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference is coming to a close, meaning that the playoffs are right upon us.
But unlike the previous tournaments, this year’s All-Filipino Conference features a new format.
Following the preliminary round, teams will be ranked from 1 to 12. In the qualifying round, higher-seeded teams will take on lower-seeded teams in a single match-up, with the winners securing a spot in the playoffs.
[ALSO READ: PVL All-Filipino winner to represent Philippines in AVC Champions League]
Expected matchups in the qualifying round
(1) Creamline Cool Smashers vs (12) Nxled Chameleons
(2) Petro Gazz Angels vs (11) Capital1 Solar Spikers
(3) Cignal HD Spikers vs (10) Galeries Tower Highrisers
The fourth and fifth seeds will be decided between the PLDT High Speed Hitters and Choco Mucho Flying Titans.
Meanwhile, the sixth to ninth seeds will be finalized on the final day of preliminaries among the Farm Fresh Foxies, Akari Chargers, Chery Tiggo Crossovers, and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles.
The six winning teams will move on to the playoffs, while the six losing teams will compete in a play-in tournament for a second chance to qualify.
What happens to a team that loses in the qualifying round?
Teams that fall short in the qualifying round will have another chance to advance through a play-in tournament.
The highest-ranked team among the qualifying-round losers will be designated as the No. 7 seed in the play-in, while the lowest-ranked will take the No. 12 seed.
The six teams in the play-in tournament will be divided into two groups:
Group 1: No. 7, No. 10, and No. 11 seeds
Group 2: No. 8, No. 9, and No. 12 seeds
Each group will compete in a single round-robin format, with only the top team from each group earning a playoff spot. The Group 1 winner will claim the No. 7 seed, while the Group 2 winner will secure the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
What’s next after the qualifying round?
The PVL will implement a best-of-three format for the quarterfinals, maintaining the usual matchup pairings.
However, the semifinals will take a different approach, featuring a single round-robin format among the four remaining teams.
If a tie occurs after the semis, a one-game playoff will determine the finalists.
The top two teams will then battle for the championship, while the other two will compete for bronze, both in best-of-three series.