Happy as MVP, happier still as champ

MANILA, Philippines — The Ara Galang of old is back and she couldn’t have used a better venue than F2 Logistics’ triumphant run in the Chooks to Go Philippine Superliga Invitational Conference.

Galang, the open hitter dynamo who had struggled to regain her top form after her nasty knee injury in the UAAP Season 77, flaunted she’s in her elements again, dishing out an MVP performance to lead the Cargo Movers to their latest PSL crown.

“Hindi ko rin ma-explain. Sobrang sarap ng feeling (I can’t find the words to describe my feeling),” said the former La Salle star after being adjudged MVP in the mid-season tourney.

Galang showcased her resurgence against tough rival Petron with an 18-point, nine-excellent reception performance in the Cargo Movers’ come-from-behind 18-25, 25-23, 20-25, 29-27, 16-14 victory in the series opener and a 15-point, 17-excellent reception effort in their title-clinching 25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18 Game Two win. 

“Hindi ko iniisip yung MVP; championship talaga ang gusto ko. Extra na lang ang MVP talaga; hindi lang naman ako ang gumawa, lahat kami may contribution kaya deserve lahat (Winning MVP honors was far from my mind as I was really after the championship. The MVP award was just a bonus and I’ll share it with my teammates; we all contributed to the cause and deserve this award),” she said.

Galang typified the hunger for excellence and desire to win that each player in the F2 roster carries.

“Malakas na kalaban ang Petron, wala kaming makitang advantage skills-wise so talagang magkakatalo yan sa heart at court IQ at sino gustong manalo. Kami nga ang nanalo so naipakita namin iyon (Petron is a strong opponent and we can’t see any advantage skills-wise so I felt it would boil down to heart, court IQ and desire to win. And we displayed them all in this series),” said coach Ramil de Jesus.

The Cargo Movers had to play catch up in Game One, where they had to overcome a 23-24 deficit before forcing a deciding set then eventually outlasting the Blaze Spikers in a tight race to the finish which ended at 16-14.

F2 had a better start in Game Two, winning the opening frame and seizing an 18-9 upperhand in the second. But a letdown allowed Petron to steal the second stanza and level the contest at two sets apiece. The Cargo Movers, though, recovered their wits and rode on the leadership of Galang and Abby Marano to restore order and never relinquished control again.

“Sobrang hirap, malakas na kalaban ang Petron, hindi kami binigyan ng libreng puntos buong finals. Ginusto lang talaga ng players, hindi nila hinayaan na tumagal pa yung laro o yung finals (It was tough playing Petron, they didn’t give us free points the entire finals. It was a matter of my players wanting it more, not allowing our opponent to extend the game or the finals),” said De Jesus.

With this triumph, F2 levelled its head-to-head championship duels with Petron at 2-2.

Asked whether there’s a raging rivalry with the Shaq delos Santos-mentored Petron, De Jesus said: “Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko rin naman talaga tinitignan yan.”