Alyssa Valdez and the Creamline Cool Smashers took their loss to Petro Gazz in stride, bouncing back with a straight-set win over the Nxled Chameleons in the 2024 PVL All-FIlipino Conference.
Alyssa Valdez and the Creamline Cool Smashers found themselves in uncharted territory for the first time in a long while.
After suffering their second defeat to the Petro Gazz Angels a week ago, the semifinal hopes of the defending champions teetered on the brink of peril in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, with five other teams having legit cases to advance.
This tournament marked the first time the multi-titled squad sustained more than one loss in the elimination round since the 2018 Open Conference.
Despite the mounting pressure and the looming threat to their title defense, Valdez and co. remained resolute, carving out a crucial sweep of the Nxled Chameleons on Saturday night.
Following their bounce-back effort that kept the Cool Smashers in the Final Four picture with a 7-2 record, Valdez felt pleased that she and her teammates are steadily regaining their confidence.
“We’re very, very happy. I think more than the win, it’s more of… ni-remind din kami nila coach kanina na we have to find ourselves in this game also and in this conference,” Valdez, who poured 12 points in the straight-set victory.
“We’re slowly building that confidence and really finding who we are back again.”
Valdez emphasized the critical importance of not only regaining Creamline's championship form, but also sustaining it for the remainder of the conference, especially since the team's last two assignments will be against fellow contenders Choco Mucho and PLDT.
“I think that’s the most important thing, most especially medyo interesting and exciting games yung mga next games namin so kailangan naming makita yung mga sarili namin and yung confidence, so ‘yun,” the three-time league MVP said.
“Since we’re a veteran team so more than just the skills, it’s more of really laying it all out there no matter kung sinong kalaban. So we’re very, very happy that we’re slowly, gradually finding ourselves.”
With a semis berth still far from secured, Valdez and the Cool Smashers seek to take a step closer to a slot by quelling the league-leading Flying Titans in a rematch of the Second All-Filipino Conference Finals on April 18, Thursday.