GALERIES Tower head coach Lerma Giron and Cignal head coach Shaq delos Santos sat on the same bench for University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP less than 24 hours before locking horns in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference qualifying round.
From winning a five-setter over La Salle as the Golden Tigresses' deputy coaches in Pasay, only one of them had a triumphant encore in Pasig.
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Giron’s 10-seed Highrisers held the winning end of the stick by pulling off a four-set shocker over delos Santos’ 3-seed HD Spikers to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in the franchise’s two-year history.
It was nothing short of a bittersweet moment for Giron who had to earn arguably the biggest win of her pro coaching career at her ‘good pal’ and colleague’s expense.
READ: Lerma Giron trusted the process with Galeries. Now here they are
“Of all the teams, 'yung kaibigan pa namin na coach na kasama ko sa kabilang trabaho (‘yung tinalo namin). Sobrang respect sa Cignal at sa coaches talaga, grabe 'yung sistema nila. Ang tibay ng sistema nila,” Giron said.
“Nakita rin naman natin 'yung pinagdaanan nila. Marami mang nawala, pero nasa Top 3 sila kaya so much respect for coach Shaq, coach Rico [de Guzman], and the rest of the coaching staff. Mga loves ko 'yang mga coaches na 'yan. Mamaya, magkikita-kita pa kami niyan.”
Giron’s roller-coaster ride from Pasay to Pasig
Making the win much sweeter was how Giron managed to get by nearly 24 hours between the end of the Golden Tigresses’ five-set win and the start of the Highrisers’ qualifying round match.
From sorting out Galeries Tower’s starting lineup to dealing with late injuries and finding time to rest in between, it was a night — and day — Giron won’t ever forget.
“Natapos kami do'n (sa UAAP), nakaalis kami sa MOA, 9:00 (p.m.. Nag-message ‘to (Alyssa Eroa), 'Coach, line-up.' Wala pa akong line-up. Tapos may mga injuries sa'min, tinawagan ko pa 'yung PT, 'Sino 'to, clear ba 'to, hindi ba 'to (pwede)?’
Giron added: “As you noticed, may ilang 'di nakapaglaro sa'min, so pinag-isipan pa namin na sino 'yung tamang tao na i-lineup na makakatulong for this game. Then natulog ako maaga, as early as 10:30, 11 (p.m.), tulog na ako.
“Talagang hinabaan ko (‘yung pahinga). Nagising ako alas-nuwebe na ng umaga. Sinulit ko kasi I know na this game, hindi siya magiging madali. Ni-ready ko 'yung sarili ko talaga kagabi.”
‘Paninindigan na namin ‘to’
Now that Giron & Co. made it as far as they did, expect Galeries Tower to make the absolute most of the position they find themselves in.
“Kailangan naming panindigan 'to. Inilaban namin sa stage na 'to, alam namin 'yung pupuntahan namin sa next level, talagang very challenging. 'Di na pwede dito 'yung on-and-off,” Giron said.
“Alam ko naman, tiwala ako sa mga players na 'to, players namin and even sa coaches. Paninindigan namin 'to. Kahit lumuha ulit kami ng dugo, ng bato, kasi nandito na kami. At ito naman din 'yung gusto namin. Kaya by God's grace, paninindigan namin 'to.”
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