MICHELE Gumabao and Kyle Negrito once found themselves within the depths of stacked Creamline since joining the squad in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Although Gumabao had her moments of individual glory through the years as a three-time best opposite spiker, the former La Salle standout often became a second-stringer to three-time PVL MVP Tots Carlos.
READ: Alyssa proud to see Creamline reach new heights from the sides
It wasn’t any easier for Negrito, who was long the apprentice of the master that was Jia de Guzman — the league’s most decorated playmaker with eight best setter plums.
Over half a decade later, the pair that’d often be on standby from the Cool Smashers' deep bench has earned their own badges of honor as Creamline’s sixth and seventh MVPs in their Grand Slam-clinching 10th title in the 2024 Invitational Conference.
Gumabao was hailed Conference MVP for the first time in her career as the league’s top local scorer (59 points), while also ranking second in spiking (37.96 percent efficiency) and fourth in serving (0.29 aces per set).
Negrito, for her part, copped her first Finals MVP honors - a feat de Guzman achieved four times - by posting 25 excellent sets in their five-set Grand Slam clincher over Cignal.
Next woman up mentality
Even without Carlos and Alyssa Valdez onboard, interim captain Gumabao was part of an newfound super scoring quartet in the knockout title game alongside fellow MVP Bernadeth Pons, American import Erica Staunton, and the returning Jema Galanza.
She’d be held to just five points in the championship game and was subbed on and off during the last two sets when the Cool Smashers trailed two sets to one.
But for the newly-crowned MVP, there were no egos whatsoever as she had full faith that Creamline’s ‘next woman up’ approach will see the team through even in the hardest moments.
“It just says that the team really trusts each other and tiwala rin talaga kami kay coach, kung ano ang sinabi ni coach, kung ano ang rotation, kung ano ang pasok namin, kung sino ang nasa loob ng court,” said Gumabao.
“Buo ang tiwala namin sa isa’t-isa na kaya naming iangat ang bawat isa any time na may nahihirapan, any time na may nag-struggle. ‘Yun talaga ang pinaka-lesson sa amin — na kaya namin, na we can cover for each other, and we got each other’s backs.”
Haters gonna say it’s fake
Negrito said it before, and she’ll say it again: ‘Creamline pa rin kami.’
May it be the absence of de Guzman or their star spikers, the two-time PVL best setter and Finals MVP knew there’d be doubts on what Creamline could do this conference with such huge voids to fill.
Even if naysayers questioned the Cool Smashers and her own capability over and over again to thrive under pressure, Negrito knows they’ve proven everyone wrong.
But more importantly, they’ve proven to themselves that Creamline will always be Creamline — not just the Grand Slam-winning team, but the Creamline team that always stands strong in the face of adversity.
“Advantage namin this conference ay kahit na may mga nawala, kami, Creamline, matagal na kaming magkakasama. So walang problema kahit sinong nasa loob,” said Negrito.
“Dedma (sa mga pumupuna sa’min). Ako naman, 'yung mga kasama ko lang din talaga 'yung pinanghahawakan ko. Binabalik ko lang din talaga 'yung tiwala na binibigay nila sa'kin.”
In fact, the Cool Smashers never thought they were shorthanded all conference long.
Sure, some big names weren’t there, but they had more than enough players at their disposal to step up to the plate.
“‘Di naman kami kulang, sabi nga ni bossing (coach Sherwin Meneses). Pito lang naman naglalaro sa loob ng court. Sobra-sobra pa nga," she exclaimed.
“At ‘yun nga, Creamline pa rin.”
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