[Editors' note: Seventh of a series as we reveal SPIN.ph's choices for its yearend Sportsman of the Year awards, which is now on its 12th year]
TEAM OF 2024
MANY believed the time was ripe to finally bring Creamline to its knees. This behemoth of a franchise was lording it over the Premier Volleyball League. But now, with three of its stars out of rotation for various reasons, can the other teams deliver the fatal blow?
Sadly for the pretenders, the result was almost predictable. it was Creamline which delivered - and made history - by winning the PVL's Invitational Conference championship. And counting the All-Filipino and Reinforced Conference titles, the Cool Smashers just became the league's first grand slam champions.
With the feat, Creamline just proved to be the best volleyball team that ever was and, unfortunately for the others, there is no sign that the team's reign will soon end.
The victory came after it became doubtful that the Smashers would be able to pull the trick. Shortly after their All-Filipino Conference victory, Jema Galanza was called to national team duty and stalwarts Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos were injured.
But In their absence, an unlikely hero emerged in 23-year-old American import and pro league first-timer Erica Staunton. She helped carry the team home along with Reinforced Conference MVP Bernadeth Pons, Invitational Conference MVP Michele Gumabao and Finals MVP Kyle Negrito.
With 10 championships under its belt under head coach Sherwin Meneses’s steady leadership, this team seems bound to reap more PVL glory. The grand slam is this season's icing on the cake but modesty aside, maybe the Cool Smashers can add one more to its list of achievements by being SPIN.ph's Team of the Year for 2024.
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