The Pocari Sweat Lady Warriors left no doubt after Game One — they’re still hungry for a championship.
The defending Open Conference champs showed their experience and determination, thrashing the newly-formed Bureau of Customs Transformers in Game One of the Reinforced Conference Finals.
Michele Gumabao, the embodiment of Pocari Sweat’s grit and intensity, led the charge with 13 points off eight attacks, three blocks, and two aces.
“Siyempre coming into the game ine-expect namin manalo kasi pinag-eensayuhan namin ‘yun pero hindi naman siya naging madali nakita naman natin na hindi kami lumayo ng todo todo like ‘yung mga previous games namin na straight sets so talagang ‘yung kapit nila (BOC) nandoon pa rin so kami every set kailangan pataas kami nang pataas ‘yung intensity namin,” Gumabao said after the game.
“Ngayon championship na kailangan lahat mag-step up, kailangan talaga lahat bumawi and lahat talaga mag-contribute.”
The former La Salle Lady Spiker was proud with how her team overcame the crowd disadvantage.
“Kahit may championship experience ka kasi hindi ka naman automatically sanay sa championship, siyempre nandiyan pa rin ang pressure,” the 24-year-old admitted.
“Alam naman natin lahat kalaban namin ‘yung crowd, talagang ‘yung crowd siguro three-fourths Bureau of Customs talaga so kami sa side namin kailangan lang talaga kung ano ang ine-ensayo namin mapakita namin sa game.”
The championship, however, is far from clinched. With BOC touting the best local player in the country in Alyssa Valdez, Gumabao knows they need to come into Game Two with intensity.
“She’s (Alyssa Valdez) a good leader ever since naman nasa college kami and talagang Team Buhat talaga siya,” the opposite hitter shared.
“Bubuhatin niya talaga kahit sinong kakampi niya and nakakatuwa dahil makakalaban namin sila, makakalaban namin ang team niya, and ngayon naman ‘yung team niya nakita naman natin since nakalaban namin sila noong eliminations ang laki din talaga ng in-improve nila ngayon and kami siyempre hindi talaga kami tumigil,” she furthered.
“‘Yun lagi naman sinasabi ni coach na kalaban namin sarili namin. Kung kaya namin i-control ‘yung side namin, kaya namin controlin ‘yung laro. So syempre tulung-tulong talaga ‘yun ang kailangan namin sa loob ng court.”
