‘Pressure is a privilege,’ says Phenom

EVEN a champion team like Creamline isn’t spared from the pressure of a high-stakes single-round robin semifinals in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.

As a matter of fact, the Cool Smashers’ semis-opening defeat to sister team Choco Mucho has sent the defending champions on the cusp of missing out on the Finals for only the second time since the league turned pro in 2021.

Should opening-day winners Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho both beat their respective opponents Creamline and Chery Tiggo on Thursday, the two teams will advance to the title series and send the latter two sides to the bronze medal series.

And to avoid an early exit from championship contention, the Cool Smashers face a tall order of dealing its prelims tormentor Petro Gazz its first loss of the semifinals.

Taking it back even further, Creamline was among the bottom two teams the last time the PVL used a single-round robin format for the semis alongside Chery Tiggo that also faces the same fate.

Being the champions that they are over the last six years, Creamline captain Alyssa Valdez says it will always be a privilege to be put in a position of pressure in a highly-competitive PVL field — one that a veteran star like her continues to embrace through years and seasons past.

“Pressure is such a privilege at this point in this league. Ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na nakakaramdam ka ng pressure and gagawin lang namin kung paano siya mata-translate into being composed and being able to run plays and perform well,” said Valdez.

And just the thought of making it to the semifinals despite losing twice and nearly missing out on the top four is one the Phenom considers an honor for her and the Cool Smashers, enabled by their ‘play more and think less’ mentality.

“It’s such a privilege to be part of this Final Four because we can see, even this game (against Choco Mucho) is super close so ie-enjoy talaga namin. I think ‘yun ‘yung one thing na gusto namin this conference na i-enjoy namin and ‘wag kaming masyadong mag-overthink sa mga bagay-bagay,” Valdez added.

Now or never for Creamline

In the absence of Creamline’s leading scorer Tots Carlos, Valdez’ conference-high 21 points and ace spiker Jema Galanza’s 23-piece carried the scoring load in the Cool Smashers’ semis-opening five-set loss to sister team Choco Mucho.

Carlos is expected to return for Creamline following her three-day Korean V-League tryouts, in which the all-Filipina trio of her, Petro Gazz’ MJ Phillips and Chery Tiggo’s Mylene Paat was undrafted.

PHOTO BY: IVY FERRER

Without a definite timetable for the three-time PVL MVP’s on-court comeback, Valdez vowed that with their backs against the wall, the Cool Smashers will give it their all and everything more to keep the quest for an eighth league title alive.

“We always train as a team naman and it’s always part of training na niro-rotate din kami lahat ni Coach Sherwin (Meneses). We miss Tots (Carlos), definitely, but we run in a system kasi so kahit minsan may nawawala sa’min, mine-make sure ni Coach Sherwin na talagang gagalaw kami in a certain way, dun sa system namin.”