PLDT’s tendency to get carried away in key stretches has long been a challenge—a flaw head coach Rald Ricafort has consistently highlighted in past conferences.
Aware of this, Savannah Davison focused on patience and composure, especially with a tough matchup against fan-favorite and perennial powerhouse Creamline looming. The Cool Smashers’ passionate supporters can easily rattle opponents and shift momentum.
“I’ve been working a lot on patience and waiting all week, and not trying to come out strong because Creamline and their fans, they can make it a really hard environment to play in,” said the PVL Invitational MVP.
Her extra work off the court clearly paid off. Davison’s composure and smart decision-making helped the High Speed Hitters secure a stunning 25-22, 25-17, 25-23 sweep over Creamline on Thursday at the Filoil Centre.
The Fil-Canadian winger delivered a massive triple-double: 26 points on 23 attacks and three kill blocks, complemented by 11 digs and 10 receptions, powering PLDT’s statement victory.
(C) PVL Images
Davison admitted that Creamline, which welcomed back Jia De Guzman, Bernadeth Pons, and Jema Galanza, looked intimidating at first. But she quickly found her rhythm, scoring 13 points in the opening set and setting the tone for her dominant performance.
“You know what, they were pretty intimidating when they came out. I’m not going to lie, all of them were complete. I knew that it was going to be a hard match,” Davison said.
“Like I said, I’m just happy that we were able to win tonight. We try to do this every game coming forward. I don’t want to take it to our head, but it’s one game at a time.”
Despite the surprising outcome, Davison praised Creamline’s depth, experience, and the challenge posed by their returning stars. Facing such a talented lineup, she said, pushes her and her teammates to elevate their own game.
“That coming out, the whole lineup together, I don’t think I’ve seen that since the first year I was here. There’s always been one or two people that were missing, and having Jia back, she didn’t even play [for] Creamline before when I just started,” Davison said.
“So seeing them all together and seeing how individually they’re strong athletes, it can be a little intimidating when you’re watching them line up. And you’re like, oh my gosh, there’s not one weak link here. So yeah, they’re fierce.”
