MANILA, Philippines — After missing out on Creamline’s historic Grand Slam run, Tots Carlos and Alyssa Valdez have made their much-awaited return to help the Cool Smashers chase more victories in the PVL.
Carlos and Valdez contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively, as they led Creamline to a dominant 25-19, 25-15, 25-15 victory over sister team Choco Mucho on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, securing a spot in the All-Filipino Finals.
Following their championship sweep of all three conferences last year without their three-time MVPs, the Cool Smashers will now enter the best-of-three finals against Petro Gazz at full strength, with the series set to begin on Tuesday.
“It’s been a while. I’ve missed a few conferences, so it feels really good to be back,” Carlos said in Filipino. “I’m just so grateful. I want to thank the team, management, and coaches for supporting me during my recovery. I’m incredibly thankful for all the support I received.”
She also expressed excitement about their upcoming matches, acknowledging the hard work it took to return to competitive form.
“I’m excited because opportunities like this don’t come often. It’s for those who work hard, and we’re glad to see all the effort, especially from those of us who’ve been injured, paying off. I’m really looking forward to it and thankful to everyone who’s had my back.”
Valdez, meanwhile, admitted to feeling a mix of emotions as she continues to recover from past injuries.
“Honestly, my body feels like it can keep going, but mentally, it’s been tough being on the sidelines dealing with injuries. I have so much respect for athletes who’ve worked so hard to get back on the court,” she shared.
“I just want to be 100% both physically and mentally, and I know I’m still a work in progress. I’ve come a long way, but there’s still more to do.”
Looking ahead to the finals against Petro Gazz, Carlos emphasized the importance of following coach Sherwin Meneses’ system and relying on teamwork with Kyle Negrito, Bernadeth Pons, Bea De Leon, and Pangs Panaga.
“Coach Sherwin’s system relies on teamwork. We don’t need to take every ball, especially when it’s not ours. In our last game against Petro Gazz, we struggled because we couldn’t control the ball. So, this time, we just focused on doing our part and getting the ball when it’s our turn,” she explained.
With their key players back, the Cool Smashers are determined to claim their fifth consecutive All-Filipino Conference title.
