IN her second conference as Creamline’s lead playmaker, Kyle Negrito has been compared with the team's longtime ace setter Jia de Guzman. Some say the comparison is valid, others may have an opposite opinion. De Guzman, after all, was one of the league's top setters in her prime.
Negrito is happy where her game is and she has no problem with the de Guzman comparison. She is fully convinced the former star is the GOAT and is honored to be mentioned in the same breath as her.
But Negrito's performance in Creamline's title-clinching victory last Sunday proved she is on a pedestal all her own.
At the end of the game, where Creamline won its eighth Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference championship, Negrito was crowned best setter of the tournament, her first.
READ: Alyssa proud to see Creamline emerge triumphant in 'hardest conference yet'
Regarding comparisons with de Guzman, Negrito was full of praise for the setter and admitted she learned a lot from her mentorship. But the best-setter awardee also said that the coaching staff and her teammates allowed her to fashion her own style that helped Creamline win the title.
"Kami ni Ate Jia (de Guzman), lagi po kaming nag-uusap and grabe ‘yung guidance niya rin sa akin," she said. "Yung team ko naman, ‘yung coaches, kumbaga hindi naman hinahanap si Ate Jia sa’kin."
“I’m me, and Ate Jia is Ate Jia, and Ate Jia is the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time). Kung ano ang kaya kong gawin, ‘yung lang po ‘yung trinaining namin,” she added.
Negrito shared their victory with fans who stood by her and the team in their "hardest conference yet."
“Gusto ko pong magpasalamat sa mga totoong fans ng Creamline Cool Smashers, sa lahat po ng naniwala sa’min at sinamahan kami hanggang dulo na kahit anong nangyayari sa team namin ay hindi kami sinusukuan,” said Negrito.
Jia’s stamp of approval
As she watched Game Two along with 23,162 volleyball fans at the Big Dome in Creamline’s title-clincher over Choco Mucho, de Guzman, who has since retired. lauded the amount of work Negrito put in as a key architect of Creamline’s championship campaign for the second conference running.
“Kyle (Negrito) has always worked hard even when I was playing with Creamline before. She does her extra work, she comes early to training, she does her extra scouting, she asks whenever she wants to improve something so she’s reaping everything she worked hard for,” said de Guzman of Negrito.
“I’m happy because she really held her ground at nadala niya ‘yung Creamline to the finals twice,” she added.
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