SHAQ delos Santos knows a thing or two - or four, at that - about winning club championships as head coach.
That's all because he had, in fact, won four with Petron in the defunct Philippine Superliga (PSL) in three years at the helm of the league’s winningest team.
READ: Creamline beats Cignal to complete PH volley's first Grand Slam
But since moving to the PVL in 2021, championship glory continues to elude delos Santos and Cignal.
In 10 PVL conferences played, the HD Spikers have still had a handful of successes with seven podium finishes built on two finals appearances and a league-best five bronze medals.
The last two conferences of the 2024 season, in particular, were a pair of close calls as Cignal lost five-setters in both the Reinforced Conference semifinals and Invitational Conference finals against the same team: Creamline.
Ever-elusive gold
At least for now, the title dream just isn’t meant to be.
“Sobrang ilap sa'min nung championship, pero ang good thing kasi, sobrang inilaban talaga nung team. Sobrang proud ako doon and happy talaga dahil ang dami naming magandang na-experience and nagkaroon kami ng magandang performance,” said delos Santos.
“Sabi ko nga sa team, chin up pa rin. Wala tayong kailangang ikahiya kasi yung game naman talaga, sobrang close fight. Grabe lang din talaga ‘yung laging inilalaro ng Creamline. Very consistent sila.”
The biggest silver lining for the newly-minted silver medalists? They’re on the way up.
“Happy ako kasi kahit papaano, medyo lumalapit na kami sa level nila. ‘Yun ‘yung magiging target namin and we'll never stop doon sa process namin hanggang sa ma-reach talaga namin yung goal namin.”
Close but not quite - the Cignal story, so far
Almost still proved to not be enough for a Cignal team that has built a solid reputation as one of the league’s powerhouses and true title contenders.
But delos Santos believes that after years of seeking redemption from missing out on the ultimate prize by the finest of margins, the HD Spikers will soon reap the fruits of their extended patience and trust in a tedious climb to the PVL mountaintop.
“Siyempre, nakakalungkot kasi parang konti na lang lagi, ganun. But kailangan din naming tanggapin na nasa process kami na kasama talaga ito,” said delos Santos.
“Lagi naman naming sinasabi na babawi kami. 'Di kami titilgil doon hangga't hindi namin nakukuha yung goal namin. Grabe rin talaga 'yung hirap at pagod ng team."
“Deserve namin na magpahinga muna at enjoyin namin yung silver medal, kasi hindi rin madali kunin ‘tong medal na 'to, kaya kami, sobrang happy kami rito, and we need to celebrate naman talaga.”
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