THERE were more than just a few reasons behind not only Creamline's longstanding reign of PVL dominance but also with its 15-game sweep of the 2023 All-Filipino Conference for the club's seventh league title.
Championship experience — one that proved to be its cutting edge over first-time finalist Choco Mucho — was front and center for the Cool Smashers in its 10th PVL Finals series.
But given how hungry the reloaded Flying Titans were for a maiden title, Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses admitted how his star-studded squad needed luck to pull through — particularly in a thrilling Game Two battle that went the distance.
READ: Rivals Creamline, Choco Mucho 'honored' to put on a show for record-breaking crowd
"Kapag five sets kasi, anybody's game na 'yan eh. Totoo na may buwenas din kami kasi ganun 'yung nangyari. Wala namang nakakaalam kung ano 'yung mangyayari sa game lalo na sa Set 5 pero 'yung composure kasi ng team nandu'n pa naman," Meneses said.
"Yun sa tingin ko 'yung pinaka-magandang nangyari — 'yung composure ng team lalo na down kami ng 3 points (sa simula). So siguro 'yung breaks napunta sa 'min and 'yung willingness talagang manalo ng Creamline kasi yung Choco (Mucho), talagang gustong gusto ring manalo," he added.
On whether this conference's Cool Smashers had more depth or not in light of Jia De Guzman and Ced Domingo's departure, the team's competitiveness continues to shine the brightest at the end of it all.
"'Di ko nga ma-gets 'yung sinasabi nilang malalim yung bench namin lalo na nu'ng last conference, mga previous conferences. 'Yun din naman 'yung naglaro plus two (De Guzman and Domingo).
"Ngayon, mas okay 'yung team pero last conference, talagang mas malalim kasi same lineup plus two. 'Yun 'yung point namin kahit na may wala, may mag-step up naman kasi syempre gusto ng mga players talagang manalo. 'Yun 'yung talagang maganda sa Creamline. Every training, napaka-competitive kahit sila-sila lang. Parang nag-game sila everyday, so masaya ako sa ganu'ng sitwasyon," Meneses explained.
Sibling rivalry love
Tense as the wiry exchange of hits and digs may be on the court, Meneses reminded his wards to never let their feet off the gas against a Dante Alinsunurin-led Choco Mucho side.
Meneses and Alinsunurin used to be collegiate teammates at Adamson before leading the Philippine men's national volleyball team to a silver medal finish in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila as coaches.
"Sinabi ko naman sa mga players namin iba 'yung coaching ni Coach Dante (Alinsunurin). Talagang hindi rin bibigay 'yan nang madali kasi champion coach 'yan eh, so talagang lalaban 'yan hanggang dulo.
"So yung breaks (ng Game 2) nasa'min, 'yung players mataas ang composure, at siguro experience din yung nagdala sa'min (sa championship). 'Yung Choco [Mucho] kasi, talagang napakataas ng laro nila ngayong conference at 'yun nga, from 7th place (last conference) to finals, talagang napakahirap ng pinagdaanan nila," said Meneses.
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