BERNADETH Pons won gold in the sand, then struck gold again where it all began.
After helping Alas Pilipinas capture gold in beach volleyball in the 33rd SEA Games, Pons came home to a Creamline side that, all of a sudden, was searching for a championship pulse.
For three straight conferences, the Cool Smashers had been shut out of the finals - a rare drought for a franchise built on dominance.
Good thing then that Pons’ return reshuffled the deck, especially in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference finals against Cignal.
When the five-time champion rejoined her mother team, there was no grand promise spoken aloud. But personally, her mission was clear.
“Kailangan talaga mag-contribute ako sa team. Kung ano yung pwede kong mabigay, talagang bibigay ko talaga,” she shared with SPIN.ph.
“Sobrang minanifest ko din na makuha namin yung gold this conference.”
Delivering like she never left, the outside hitter opened the series with 11 points, 15 excellent digs, and five receptions before erupting for 22 points, 25 digs, and 15 receptions in the title-clincher.
READ: Creamline revives dynasty with finals sweep of Cignal
Still, the numbers only told part of the story.
“Siyempre, sobrang happy kasi hindi talaga naging madali yung conference ngayon,” Pons exclaimed. “Sobrang daming struggles, daming challenges ng team. Pero naitawid namin at nakuha pa rin namin yung championship.”
That's exactly why this title hits differently compared to the two-hands-full of trophies that came before. Creamline’s path was anything but what it was used to, made possible by league parity and marked by do-or-die games.
And so, this celebration was 'extra sweeter.'
As she furthered, “Hindi talaga madali, lahat ng game namin, eliminations pa lang, pahirapan talaga. So talagang na-challenge rin yung bawat isa.”
Beach to Big Dome
From the sand courts in Thailand to the bright lights of Araneta Coliseum, Pons carried the same belief of being unshaken, even in the face of elimination.
“Habang may chance kami, hindi ako nawalan ng hope na makukuha talaga namin. Parang iba yung pakiramdam ko, na feeling ko talaga, amin yung conference ngayon,” she uttered.
In the end, that belief became reality and once again, it came with hardware.
Pons capped her return with the Finals MVP award, adding to her trophy case that already features Conference and Finals MVP plums from the 2024 Reinforced Conference.
Yet, even with the individual accolades piling up, her perspective stayed grounded.
“Pine-pray ko lang talaga na mag-champion kami. Sobrang bonus na lang talaga yung Finals MVP,” she said.
Because for Pons, this wasn’t about coming back.
It was about bringing Creamline back with her.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
