JEMA Galanza may have moved on from Creamline's recent string of losses and back-to-back PVL Finals absences, but she's not one to forget easily.
Galanza, 28, has been on a tear in the PVL Invitational even as the Cool Smashers missed out on a spot in the championship game.
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She produced at least a double-double in all four preliminary-round matches and had a triple-double in the last three.
Through it all, Galanza made it a point to remember the heartache - to use as motivation later on.
"Tinutuloy ko lang kung ano yung ginagawa ko sa life, pero hindi ko siya agad nakakalimutan," Galanza shared with SPIN.ph.
"Lahat ng pain or kung anuman yung hindi magandang nafi-feel ko, mas gusto ko siyang ma-feel para after ng lahat ng sakit na feel ko, at least, makaka-move on ako."
The thing with the Cool Smashers, however, is that they're not a team to dwell on the losses even if they rarely happen for the league's most successful franchise.
"Kapag nandun ka sa team, hindi mo ma-feel na 'ayaw na,' ganun," Galanza said.
"May mga discussion pa rin naman about anong nangyari, pero mafi-feel mo na, 'Kaya pa, tapos na yun, may next game tayo, tuloy-tuloy lang, may chance pa tayong magka-medal,' ganyan.
Even as their dynasty begins showing some cracks, as Galanza puts it, "acceptance din agad talaga sa mga nangyayari para mas maka-move forward ka."
Precedent
Her fuel to this day was the first time Creamline ever missed a PVL Finals since their streak began in 2018. That was back in the 2022 Reinforced Conference where they slid to a rare bronze-medal finish.
"The first time na hindi kami nag-finals, 'yun 'yung super bigat sa feeling na nandun na eh, pero kinulang ulit," Galanza said. "Nahirapan talaga kami nu'n pero yun nga, nasasanay kasi kami na parang tuloy-tuloy lagi kaya hindi pwedeng mag-stop kami sa mga hindi nangyari sa'min."
"Sobrang gaan kasi sa feeling kapag naa-accept mo kung ano yung mga nangyari. Mas lumilinaw kung ano yung gusto mong gawin, ano pang gusto mong gawin pa.
'Yan pa 'yung magpu-push sayo to be better kapag na-accept mo 'yung mga nangyari."
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