“Sabi nga ni coach, ako na lang ‘yung may bala.”
These were the words Jema Galanza lived by in the deciding fifth set of their final encounter with Cignal in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference last Thursday night.
Creamline entered the Invitationals knowing that key players Tots Carlos and Alyssa Valdez would not be available to finish the season.
Sidelined by injuries, Carlos and Valdez had already missed the entire Reinforced Conference along with Galanza, who had to fulfill her duties with the national team after being called up by Alas Pilipinas.
However, Galanza managed to return for the final game of the Invitational preliminaries after the national team window had closed.
That made her available for the Cool Smashers’ gold medal match against the HD Spikers, which would determine their grand slam bid.
With his once-extensive arsenal depleted from the toll of playing two consecutive tournaments, head coach Sherwin Meneses knew that Galanza needed to bring heavy artillery against a surging Cignal squad, which had also reloaded with their Alas stars Dawn Catindig and Vanie Gandler.
And that, she did.
The 27-year-old pride of San Pedro, Laguna, fired the biggest shots in their fifth-set duel with the HD Spikers.
With Chin Basas and Riri Meneses forming a formidable two-man block, Galanza delivered a powerful spike that pierced through the Cignal defenders, giving Creamline a commanding 14-11 advantage.
Mafe Galanz committed an attack error, however, before MJ Perez executed a blistering cross-court attack to cut the lead to just one.
A point away from fulfilling their destiny, Galanza – who struggled early in the match – knew that the team was running out of ammo.
Aware that she was holding the last few bullets to finally end Cignal’s campaign, the former Adamson star fired the most important attack of her life.
She went off the block on Gel Cayuna’s hands for the grand slam-clinching point.
Ces Molina and Catindig tried to save the ball from the back, running as if their lives depended on it, but to no avail.
(C) PVL Images
“Actually, kinakabahan po ako kasi kaunti lang ‘yung preparation namin. Halos ‘di tlaga ako naka-training kasama sila, so ‘yun nga may kaba pero sa isip ko: ‘Ako na ‘to, tatapusin ko na ‘to para sa kanila,’” said Galanza.
“Pag iniisip ko kasi ‘yung mga ganung games, ‘yung nga ang sarap sa feeling kasi ang sarap nung pressure sa mga games. Talagang gina-grab ko lang din kasi doon ko din matututo, medyo may kaba lang pero lagi lang sila ‘yung iniisip ko.”
After a failed attempt at the Triple Crown two years ago, the Cool Smashers finally achieved what no team in the league had ever done before.
The former league MVP later shared that her love for her teammates – who fought tooth and nail despite several adversities throughout the season – motivated her in the final moments.
They inspired her to deliver the final shot that secured the elusive grand slam.
“Masasabi ko lang na ganoon ko sila ka-love, alam ko gaano sila kapagod sa dalawang magkasunod na [conference]. So kumbaga, sabi ni coach ako na lang ‘yung may bala kasi ako ‘yung may mahabang pahinga,” said Galanza, who finished with 11 points.
“So ako ‘yung chance din na makapaglaro, bibigay ko na rin naman ‘yung larong ‘to para sa kanila.”
