ERIKA Santos has checked almost every box in her young career, except one: a championship.
From powerhouse programs in La Salle to PLDT, the 26-year-old has been part of winning environments, but the ultimate prize has always slipped away.
Minutes were limited, opportunities scarce, and even her college run was cut short by the pandemic.
READ: Cignal stalwarts hope to avoid PVL finals heartbreak this time
But with Cignal, everything has since felt different.
A career-defining move has turned her into a focal point, earning her an MVP and a first-ever PVL Finals appearance, putting her right on the doorstep of what has long eluded her.
“Nag-aalign na ‘yung mga pinagtrabahuan ng bawat isa and ‘yung goals namin, pero siyempre uhaw ‘yung bawat isa and lalo na ako na first time kong mag-finals so gagawin ko ‘yung best ko,” Santos said.
The transition was not seamless, but it was necessary.
“Hindi naging madali yung transition kasi kailangan mag-adjust sa ‘yung system, pero good thing na talagang tinyaga po ako nila Coach Shaq,” she added.
“Nagbubunga naman, nagiging okay naman ‘yung outcome and hopefully, maibuhos pa lahat sa finals.”
Now one of Cignal’s main weapons, Santos is looking to complete the arc, from a role player searching for minutes to a go-to scorer chasing a title.
And with the finals stage set against a proven champion like Creamline, pressure is the least of her concerns.
“Like I always say talaga, masarap maglaro under pressure. Nasa sa’yo na talaga kung paano mo laruin and kung paano mo gagawin ‘yung best mo para ma-outplay yung kalaban,” she said.
“For sure, may uhaw din talaga kasi ang tagal na nito eh, parang ilang years din in the making tapos finally, nandito na sa finals kaya gutom na gutom para kunin ‘yung medal and ‘yung trophy.”
For Santos, more than being a momentous PVL Finals debut, this is her chance to finally find what has long been missing.
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