After an early exit in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference, Petro Gazz has been on a dominant run in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference, signaling a strong start to their redemption campaign.
At the forefront of their success is American spiker Brooke Van Sickle, who has been instrumental in the Angels’ resurgence. Petro Gazz closed 2024 on a high note, riding a four-game winning streak before the league’s one-month holiday break.
Van Sickle’s stellar performance shone brightest in Petro Gazz’s commanding sweep of the then-undefeated Cignal HD Spikers, 25-19, 25-21, 25-18, on Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. She delivered 19 points, including 13 attacks and a game-high six blocks, in the Angels’ emphatic 95-minute victory that handed Cignal its first loss of the season.
However, Van Sickle credited much of her success to veteran wing spiker Myla Pablo, whose leadership and consistency have played a key role in Petro Gazz’s rise. Pablo’s steady contributions helped the Angels climb to the top of the 12-team league standings with a 5-1 record.
Despite ending the year ranked second in league scoring with 131 total points, Van Sickle emphasized that the Angels’ four-game streak wouldn’t have been possible without Pablo, who averaged 15 points during the stretch.
(C) PVL Images
Since joining Petro Gazz in January 2024, Van Sickle has thrived under Pablo’s mentorship, a dynamic that has elevated not only her individual performance but also the entire team’s competitiveness.
“Myla’s a fantastic player. They don’t call her ‘Typhoon Pablo’ for nothing. She has all the shots, wicked line hits for sure. She’s just confident. When I see her on the court and something doesn’t go our way, she’s like, ‘Okay, next one, I got it,’” Van Sickle said.
“It’s really refreshing to be next to her and have someone who’s calm, collected, and just fiery. I’m very happy to have her as a teammate,” she added.
For her part, Pablo attributed her resurgence to the confidence instilled in her by Van Sickle and the rest of the team, which has reignited her drive and fine form.
Initially, Pablo’s role had diminished following Van Sickle’s arrival. But with renewed confidence, she has emerged as a vital piece in Petro Gazz’s success, forming a formidable duo with Van Sickle that the rest of the league will undoubtedly need to watch out for.
“This 2024 siguro nakuha ko na yung confidence ko sa sarili ko. Kumbaga, yun yung hinahanap ko. Kaya nga sabi ko sa mga setters ko na bigyan nyo lang ako ng kumpiyansa sa loob ng court—aatakehin ko, papatayin ko kahit nag-aadjust ako,” shared Pablo, a two-time PVL MVP and former F2 Logistics standout.
“Sabi ko nga, kung hindi ako nagamit nung dalawang conferences, kailangan makabawi ako this All-Filipino—for the management, sa mga taong sumusuporta sa akin, and also kay coach Koji na rin.”
