Pocari Sweat team captain Michele Gumabao missed two of her team’s last matches due to an abdominal tear.
Heading into their biggest match of the season biggest against the Bali Pure Purest Water Defenders, Gumabao still wasn’t medically cleared to play.
Still the UAAP Season 75 Finals MVP knew her team needed her on-court presence against their staunch foes. So she played anyway and, despite showing the wears of her injury, the captain was pivotal in their five-set comeback.
“Kahit hindi ako maka-contribute masyado offensively, nandoon pa rin yung leadership ko inside the court,” said Gumabao who managed just nine points but was fiercely active defensively.
Her team looked down and out in the second set, dropping embarrassingly 6-25 and falling behind by two sets. Gumabao applauded her squad’s mental fortitude.
“We just focused. It was just one set. Alam naman namin na we could do better,” Gumabao said. “We were in these types of situations before kaya alam na namin na kaya naman it was just a matter of playing as a team.”
The proud La Sallian also went up against her collegiate rivals in the Ateneo powered Bali Pure. She felt rejuvenated but insisted she still kept a close relationship with a lot of her former rivals.
“I’m still really good friends with a lot of them but still it’s always nice to play against them. It does bring back old memories but at the end of the day it’s still just a game,” she closed.
