The Cool Smashers play as one when the going gets rough. —PVL IMAGES
Creamline may have had a roller coaster ride in the PVL on Tour preliminaries, but its battle-tested team chemistry has remained the ace up the Cool Smashers’ collective sleeves when the going gets rough.
“Most of us have been together for about eight years now. What really makes Creamline strong is our chemistry,” Jema Galanza said in Filipino after a 25-19, 25-19, 26-24 sweep of Farm Fresh in their KO match that made the Cool Smashers look like the powerhouse of old on Saturday night at PhilSports Arena.
“We’re also lucky to have new players who are eager to grow and be part of this journey with us,” Galanza went on after delivering 10 points that went with six excellent digs.
Michele Gumabao, Alyssa Valdez and Galanza, a trio that was key in the Cool Smashers’ 10 titles, never gave the retooled Foxies a chance as they braced up for a big bout with unbeaten PLDT in the quarterfinals.
Just three weeks ago, the Cool Smashers were in unfamiliar territory, finishing the prelims with a 3-2 record and not having their fate in their hands. They got a boost with a Chery Tiggo loss that set up the you-or-me clash with the Foxies.
“Even last conference, you can really see that all the teams have improved and are fighting hard,” Galanza went on. “That’s why we’re focusing more on how we play as a team.
“The losses or mistakes we had before, that’s part of the game. What’s important is that we’ve been fixing those errors. I think we’re playing better now, and hopefully, we make it to the semifinals smoothly.”
Coach Sherwin Meneses, meanwhile, admitted that preparation for the preseason wasn’t long enough, considering that they were coming off a runner-up finish in the six-month All-Filipino Conference and the AVC Champions League.
But their time-tested bond and winning culture have always helped them in the trenches.
“The eliminations were really close, and the schedule was tight and tiring,” Meneses said in Filipino. “Our team didn’t have a long time to prepare since we just returned recently. But in a way, the schedule kind of worked in our favor.
“Our chemistry has always been there, and maybe that’s one of the reasons why we consistently make it to the semifinals,” he went on. INQ
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.