Despite Petro Gazz’s impressive run, including a sweep of the round-robin semifinals, Sherwin Meneses remains confident in Creamline’s chances in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals.
While acknowledging the Angels as formidable opponents, the seven-time PVL champion coach believes the Cool Smashers’ well-established winning formula will still be difficult to beat.
Game 1 of the best-of-three Finals is on April 8, Tuesday, followed by Game 2 on April 10.
Both matches will take place at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum. If the series goes the distance, a winner-take-all Game 3 will be played on April 12, with the venue yet to be announced.
“I think match naman talaga yung Petro Gazz and Creamline kasi 1-1 kami this conference pero siguro — kasi pareho senior team eh, parehas veteran teams—so I think medyo lamang ang Creamline sa game na ‘yan. Medyo yung chemistry ng team, lagi naman nandiyan, talagang pagpapaguran lang namin,” said Meneses on Thursday after Creamline defeated Choco Mucho to book their Finals ticket.
“I think lamang ang — siyempre, Creamline kami, hindi kami basta-basta magpapatalo. ‘Yun yung number one sa amin, na ma-defend yung crown, so tatrabahuhin namin ng mabuti.”
(C) PVL Images
The Cool Smashers are gunning for their fifth straight All-Filipino championship while also aiming for a fifth consecutive PVL title overall.
For Tots Carlos, their winning tradition will hopefully push them toward securing their 11th PVL crown. She also emphasized the team’s chemistry, noting that Creamline’s core has remained largely intact in each conference.
“Sabi nga ni Coach Sherwin, lagi niya sinasabi na sarili niyo dala niyo. Pag dala mo ‘yung sarili, ‘yung team nabubuo siya. Parang puzzle lang ba,” said Carlos, who is entering her first Finals since the 2024 All-Filipino after missing the Reinforced and Invitational Conferences due to injury.
“I think ever since day one, ‘yun ‘yung nakita ko sa Creamline na team simula nung pagpasok ko. Lagi kong sagot kung bakit nanalo ‘yung Creamline? Kasi nga dahil sa team. So hanggang ngayon, nagwo-work siya nang nagwo-work at gumagana siya, kaya ‘yun ‘yung hindi namin babaguhin.”
