Mika Reyes admitted she was surprised by being named PVL on Tour Finals MVP, emphasizing that her sole focus was to help the PLDT High Speed Hitters secure their first-ever title.
From “almost” to finally champions, Mika Reyes delivered the performance of her career when it mattered the most to power the PLDT High Speed Hitters to their first-ever title in the PVL on Tour Finals.
Reyes erupted for 20 points on 13 attacks and a Finals record seven blocks in the High Speed Hitters’ five-set victory over the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8, at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, August 17.
That performance earned her Finals MVP honors, which Reyes says doesn’t matter as long as PLDT took home the title.
“’Di ko rin talaga in-expect. ‘Di ko rin narinig actually, pero hindi ko rin talaga in-expect. Ever since naman, I think mas importante talaga sa’kin ‘yung para sa team," Reyes said.
"Mas gusto kong makuha ‘yung championship than any other individual award,” she added during the championship press conference.
For Reyes, the victory was about staying locked in from start to finish as the High Speed Hitters completed their preseason title run with a perfect record.
“I think ‘yung lagi lang sinasabi ng coaches, ng player na maging present talaga the whole game kasi hindi naman ‘to basta basta ibibigay ng opponent. And kahit na two sets ahead kami, ‘di namin inisip na makukuha namin ‘to agad. So sobrang thankful kami na kinapitan talaga namin ‘yung bawa't isa,” she said.
It was a championship that carried extra weight, given PLDT’s long list of near-misses in previous seasons. That’s why Reyes said that the heartbreaks of the past only made this breakthrough sweeter.
“Sobrang frustrating talaga siya at the same time, ‘yung sinabi rin ni coach kanina na sa lahat ng mga heartbreaks na na-experience namin, hindi pa rin kami tumigil," Reyes said.
"I think ‘yun ‘yung nagpapasarap talaga sa championship na ‘to. Kasi kahit anong mangyari the past few years, mas naging motivation pa sa amin ‘yun.”
The work only continues for Reyes and the High Speed Hitters as they gear up for the 2025 Invitational Conference, which begins on Thursday, August 21.