Robinson emerged as the best scorer of the match with 14 points. He spiked 13 points at a 59% success rate and added a kill block to his tally. These were the two elements the Americans performed better than the Cubans – 61-45 in spike kills and 13-10 in kill blocks. Their outside Jordan Ewert (two blocks and a 71% success rate in attack) and opposite Gabriel Garcia (two aces, two blocks and a 62% success rate in attack) also reached the double digits with 12 points apiece.

“We knew that Cuba needed this game. We knew Cuba was going to come out firing on all cylinders. But we were also on the edge. It was a great game for us. All 14 guys came in the court and did their job. I think we still have a lot of learning, a lot of growing up to do, but for us to pull out this win the way we did was pretty impressive,” Gabi Garcia told VBTV. “Being ready at all moments here at this World Championship is going to be important for all of us.”

Before exiting the tournament with grace, Cuba did better than USA in serving by 6-3 in aces and in precision by 23-28 in unforced errors. Their middle blocker Javier Octavio Concepcion attacked at a 67% success rate and raised four kill blocks to finish with a total of 12 points and share the team’s leading scorer honors with opposite Jose Israel Masso, who put away two blocks and an ace. Star middle Robertlandy Simon registered a 70% success rate in spiking and also reached the double digits with 10 points, including three blocks.

Two years after we last joined its troubled teens in their battle against the forces of corporate tyranny, superhero drama Gen V is back for a second series of powerfully bawdy chaos. Release the penis-shaped balloons! Uncork the Château les Norks! But for pity’s sake conduct your celebrations quietly: Godolkin University’s clipboard-clutching new dean is in no mood for frivolity.

“Let’s be real,” he drawls during his inaugural campus address. “The previous human administration was full of shit. We can’t trust humankind. And that is why, as your new dean, I will be preparing you for this brave new world,” he continues, as the assembled superheroes-in-training – or “supes”, as they’re called – variously gulp, whoop and clench their bum cheeks.

So! New God U, new you. Specifically, new Emma (the wonderful Lizze Broadway), whose relief at her sudden release from the Elmira Adult Rehabilitation Center is tempered by the discovery that her lightly tyranny-padded seat of learning has gone full fascist.

A brief recap, then, before we get our Speedos wet. The first series of this wildly irreverent spin-off of the sublime, R-rated superhero satire The Boys ended with Emma and fellow supes Marie, Andre and Jordan being stitched up by Homelander after their discovery of the clandestine, Vought-run medical/torture facility known as the Woods. (Homelander, for those not yet au fait with The Boys, is the psychopathic superhero figurehead of dastardly corporate cabal Vought International. Think, if you can stomach it, Trump in tights.) Got it? Good. And now? Marie (Jaz Sinclair) has escaped from Elmira and is on the run. After a valiant struggle with the powers that be, Andre (Chance Perdomo), alas, was not as fortunate. (Following Perdomo’s death in 2024, the decision was made not to recast the role.)

Back at Godolkin, Emma and fellow releasee Jordan (London Thor/Derek Luh) are greeted by a grinning wall of suits and forced to read to the press a Vought-approved “victory” speech that turns out, perhaps unsurprisingly, to be rubbish. Jordan, understandably, is suspicious. Not least of Dean Cipher (yes, Cipher), whose densely bearded presence Jordan is convinced they spotted “more than once” at Elmira. “He was a doctor or something,” the bi-gender shapeshifter tells a characteristically open-mouthed Emma. “And now he’s the dean? I mean, who the fuck is this guy?” Who indeed. Facts, discovers Emma, are thin on the ground. “I mean, the name ‘Cipher’ is a little on the nose, honestly …”

Cipher is played by Hamish Linklater, which is in itself a little on the nose, honestly. Is there anyone as adept at extravagant, nay, luxuriant creepiness as Hamish “Midnight Mass” Linklater? Let us discuss. Actually, let’s not. Let’s just accept that there isn’t. And then allow ourselves a gander at the actor’s spectacularly unnerving MO, albeit from a safe distance (the International Space Station, say; or crouched behind Emma during one of the bits where she suddenly goes big and all her clothes explode off). In addition to his stocks-in-trade (not blinking, being tall, speaking slowly in a sad voice before suddenly blurting out something unconscionable very quickly indeed), this particular Linklater performance comes with a range of Gen V-appropriate accessories. These include a set of ample action-eyebrows and a proclivity for calling those few, brave young supes who disagree with his belief in supe-supremacism “race traitors”. So, y’know, yikes.

Unsurprisingly, campus unrest begins to mount. Humans are subjected to increasing harassment from the loutish, Cipher-emboldened frat-supes, while hopelessly naive activists scamper around daubing the word “Resist” over posters of Homelander’s spray-tanned fizzog.

Elsewhere, as this second series unfurls its cape, it’s a joy and a relief to discover that it is business as usual. There are several outrageous, monocle-fogging set-pieces, including a gratuitous full-frontal male locker room scene complete with prosthetic thunder-dong. (What is it with Gen V and penises? Have 5,000 words on my desk by evensong.) There is an enormous amount of swearing and violence, much sweet-natured navigating of still-unformed teenage belief systems, several mildly confusing references to events in The Boys (the fifth and final season of which arrives next year) and many, many perfect jokes about the endless commodification of mental health and gender identity.

But isn’t all this zippiness, this pinging between tones and genres a bit, well … throwaway? Ultimately, yes! But then, aren’t most things these days, when you think about it? Gen V is aware of its own limited relevance in the grand scheme of things but has embraced its small role with pluck and charm. It’s all part of its pinball patchwork of superhero tropes, romance, comic book baddies, thumpingly broad political satire and penises. Oh, so many penises. Enjoy!

The Athletics will again counter with Jeffrey Springs, who allowed five runs on eight hits en route to taking the loss last week to Early and the Sox.

Here is a preview.

ATHLETICS (70-80): Langeliers C, Wilson SS, Kurtz 1B, Rooker DH, Thomas RF, Hernaiz 2B, Harris 3B, Butler CF, Schuemann LF

Pitching: LHP Jeffrey Springs (10-11, 4.28 ERA)

RED SOX (82-68): Gonzalez 1B, Bregman 3B, Story SS, Refsnyder DH, Narváez C, Eaton RF, Sogard 2B, Duran LF, Rafaela CF

Pitching: LHP Connelly Early (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Time: 6:45 p.m.

TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

Athletics vs. Early: Lawrence Butler 0-2, Zack Gelof 1-1, Darell Hernaiz 0-2, Nick Kurtz 1-3, Shea Langeliers 1-3, Brent Rooker 0-3, Tyler Soderstrom 1-2, Colby Thomas 0-2, Jacob Wilson 1-2

Red Sox vs. Springs: Alex Bregman 1-4, Jarren Duran 1-5, Nate Eaton 0-2, Romy González 2-2, Nathaniel Lowe 2-9, Carlos Narváez 0-2, Ceddanne Rafaela 0-2, Rob Refsnyder 3-8, Nick Sogard 1-2, Trevor Story 3-8, Connor Wong 0-2

Stat of the day: Romy Gonzalez’s 14 consecutive games with a hit is the longest active streak in the majors.

Notes: The 82 wins are the most the Red Sox have won since 2021 (92-70). … The A’s won’t be headed to the postseason, but a 28-18 mark since July 24 is the third best in MLB. … They have won four in a row, following up last Wednesday’s 5-4 win in the series finale against the Sox with a three-game sweep of the Reds. … Early recorded 11 strikeouts in last week’s win, matching the franchise mark for most strikeouts in a debut, set by Don Aase in 1977. … Springs is s 0-3 with a 4.55 ERA in 14 appearances (six starts) against the Red Sox. … A’s relievers have posted MLB’s second-best ERA (2.76) since July 31. … Lucas Giolito (10-4, 3.31 ERA) and Brayan Bello (11-7, 3.25 ERA) will get the starts on Wednesday and Thursday to close out the series for the Sox.

Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.