ROYSE Tubino braved the challenge of facing her former team Choco Mucho head-on.
And the 33-year-old winger delivered when it mattered most, scoring 14 points including four in the decisive fifth set to help Farm Fresh complete a gritty 21-25, 25-22, 16-25, 25-18, 15-9 comeback win over the Flying Titans on Tuesday.
READ: Farm Fresh breaks skid after beating Choco Mucho in five sets
For Tubino, however, the matchup carried more light-hearted undertones than heavy emotions.
Despite now wearing different colors, her bond with the Choco Mucho players remains intact, something that was evident even before the first serve.
“Nag-aasaran kami bago nu’ng game, sabi ni Sisi na iba-block niya raw ako, didepensahan niya mga palo ko. Pero sabi ko, ‘sige, go.’ ‘Yun ‘yung mga asaran namin sa Choco Mucho hanggang ngayon,” Tubino shared.
“Pero siyempre, focus pa rin kami sa game ngayon. Nag-train talaga kami dahil alam kong lalaban ‘yung Choco Mucho, pero mas lalaban kami.”
That focus paid off when the Foxies found themselves in a familiar do-or-die scenario.
Trailing two sets to one, Farm Fresh had to dig deep to extend the match and force a fifth set against the fan-favorite Flying Titans.
With the crowd inside the arena largely backing Choco Mucho, the Foxies understood that any slip-up could lead to a third straight five-set defeat after yielding to PLDT and Capital1 prior.
Instead, they turned the pressure into motivation and dominated the decider.
Tubino played a key role in that closing stretch, helping spark the Foxies’ run with four clutch points that ultimately sealed the comeback.
For someone who used to thrive in front of the same purple-clad supporters now cheering against her, Tubino knew the best way to handle the moment was to simply stay locked in.
“Wala, focus lang ako sa sarili ko ngayon, this time, kasi alam ko naman si Choco Mucho, matinding kalaban talaga sila,” she said.
“Focus ako sa sarili ko, basta i-eenjoy ko na kung ano ‘yung meron ako ngayon, kung ano ‘yung nate-train namin.”
For Tubino, the familiarity may still be there, but the mission is clear: compete, perform, and help her new team win.
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