TWO games into the new year have made Creamline confront a reality rarely faced by a dynasty: relearning itself.
With the returns of Jia de Guzman, Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza, and other familiar pillars after months and even years away, the 10-time champions are piecing things back together almost as if meeting old friends for the first time.
The talent remains unquestioned and unmistakable, but what’s still being built is how those individual strengths lock in as one.
READ: Creamline gets better of Choco Mucho again for first PVL AFC win
“Individually, we’re very skilled. It’s just how do we put that together na maging cohesive siya na pagdating sa loob ng court, alam namin kung ano ‘yung ikikilos ng isa’t isa,” de Guzman said.
“‘Yun ‘yung tina-try naming alamin talaga ngayon. We’re doubling our efforts sa communication and kita rin naman how we performed in the first game. Du’n talaga lumabas ‘yung lapses namin ng communication.”
That adjustment phase, perhaps best described as a renewed honeymoon stage, has already delivered contrasting results: a jarring opening loss to PLDT, followed by a sharp bounce-back win over Choco Mucho.
For de Guzman, those early swings are part of the process and far from a verdict on how Creamline’s All-Filipino Conference run will unfold.
“It’s very early pa in the conference and alam naman namin ‘yun na how we performed in the first game does not say kung paano kami magpe-perform the rest of the conference,” de Guzman said.
“Tina-try talaga namin maging present sa training, sa bawat game, sa bawat kalaban na haharapin namin and we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.
“Kami rin at this point, kinikilala pa ulit namin ‘yung isa’t isa eh kasi marami ngang bumalik.”
The fundamental superteam dilemma
For a roster stacked with championships, MVPs and individual accolades, deciding on rotations and roles is the kind of problem most teams would gladly take.
But even a luxury problem can turn tricky if mishandled.
That reality isn’t lost on Sherwin Meneses, whose Grand Slam pedigree hasn’t exempted him from the challenge of balancing talent and chemistry.
“Sobrang nakaka-challenge kasi ‘yung mga players, talagang magagaling. Alam mo naman ‘yung lineup ng Creamline, lahat ng nandiyan, talagang mapagkakatiwalaan at magaganda ‘yung laro,” Meneses said.
“Best of the best talaga dapat ‘yung mapupunta sa loob at mabibigyan ng playing time. Target namin is mag-improve every day at every training.
“‘Yung game naman, lagi namang nandiyan ‘yung motivation namin na manalo kami at tumaas pa lalo ‘yung chemistry kahit na magkakakilala na kami.”
For Creamline, the equation is clear but demanding: talent is already there.
Turning it back into muscle memory, instinct and seamless trust is the work now, and the rest of the conference will reveal just how quickly the Cool Smashers can make something familiar feel automatic again.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
