A Premier Volleyball League Finals featuring Creamline and Petro Gazz is nothing new, but this one comes with a spicy twist — Brooke Van Sickle making her championship debut.
That was the sentiment of Cool Smashers captain Alyssa Valdez as her team prepares to face the Angels for the fifth time in the Finals, but this time with the Fil-American game-changer Van Sickle on the opposing side.
Creamline and Petro Gazz secured their spots in the best-of-three championship series of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference after dominant victories on the final day of the round-robin semifinals.
The Angels completed their sweep with a convincing 25-22, 25-20, 25-18 win over the Akari Chargers, while the Cool Smashers dismantled the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, 25-19, 25-15, 25-15, on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“After how many conferences, ito yung well-adjusted si Brooke pagdating sa sistema at disiplina ng Petro Gazz,” Valdez said, emphasizing that Van Sickle could be the biggest difference in the Finals.
“Makikita natin in sync and she’s fitted to the system already of Petro Gazz, that’s why their movement is so fluent and smooth this conference, up until the last game na hinarap nila.”
(C) PVL Images
Valdez also welcomed Van Sickle to the championship stage: “After a very long time of being in the Finals, siyempre maganda rin yung iba-iba ang challenges na naibibigay behind the scenes and dito on the court. Very, very excited. And Brooke, welcome to the PVL Finals.”
However, the three-time MVP knows Petro Gazz is not just about Van Sickle — it’s a well-rounded squad that won’t go down easily.
The Angels and the Cool Smashers split their meetings this conference. Creamline claimed their preliminary round match-up, 25-19, 25-22, 25-16, while Petro Gazz got their revenge in the semifinals, 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16.
Aside from Van Sickle, Petro Gazz boasts a deep roster featuring Jonah Sabete, Myla Pablo, MJ Phillips, and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, among others.
“I remember the time when we faced them back at Ynares Center in the Finals of the 2019 Reinforced Conference — both of their wing spikers, (Janisa) Johnson and (Wilma) Salas, were very tough,” Valdez recalled.
“This conference, I think kumpletong-kumpleto ang Petro Gazz. Hindi lang sa wings—Sabete is there, MJ Phillips is there — kumpleto sila as a team. Ang lalim din ng bench nila, and healthy din sila.”
With two powerhouse teams battling for the crown, Valdez believes it will take more than just power to win — it’s bound to be an instant classic.
All the cards are on the table. It’s Petro Gazz vs. Creamline for the fifth time in PVL Finals history.
“Kung makita natin back in the Finals, I think one of the things na magiging edge ng bawat isa sa amin — since we’re all veteran teams — would be kung sino ang mas healthy, kung sino ang tatagal, at kung sino ang mas fit all throughout the games.”
#WATCH: Alyssa Valdez is ready for another finals showdown with Petro Gazz, but this time, it’s against Brooke Van Sickle 🏐
📹 @justinvalencia_ /Tiebreaker Times#PVL2025 pic.twitter.com/785Fr2YjhT
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) April 3, 2025
