‘In Wilma we trust’
I feel [better] so you can see more of this Wilma on the court for sure.
—WILMA SALAS, Petro Gazz
The crown on Petro Gazz’s head looked like it was ready to get knocked off.
Luckily, Wilma Salas is peaking at the right time and could be what the Angels badly need to keep their PVL Reinforced Conference title-retention bid alive.
“My body was not prepared until like two weeks … but now, I feel [better] so you can see more of this Wilma on the court for sure,” Salas said after delivering a conference-best 34 points to lift Petro Gazz past Creamline, 25-23, 25-19, 20-25, 23-25, 15-12, on Tuesday.
That’s the Wilma the reigning queens need.
The Cuban had an all-around showing with 33 attacks and a block while adding 17 excellent digs on the defense end.
“The thing I love about Wilma is she’s tall of course but for her height, she’s able to do everything. She digs balls, she passes extremely well, so she’s not just one dimensional, she’s all skills so it’s a really big help just having her near me and just being on the court,” MVP winner Brooke Van Sickle said.
“But also … she has a lot of experience and she will lead the team in certain moments, she like fires everything up like OK come on we’re not finished, keep pushing,” she said.
Van Sickle was no slouch herself.
The Filipino-American star battered the Cool Smashers with 24 points while blunting her opponents’ service game with 18 excellent receptions.
But even Van Sickle admits that for all her talent, the Angels needed their import to soar to have a chance against the seven-time champions.
“It’s just like a dogfight with [Creamline] and it’s so exhausting, but they’re all good players and I’m really proud of our team stepping up,” Van Sickle said. “We’re still taking it day by day but hey, good luck to Wilma; in Wilma we trust.”
Reign isn’t overSalas, now averaging 18.33 points per game, has been inconsistent scoring-wise. But knowing the tough predicament that her team is currently in, she is dead-set on producing the same effort as Petro Gazz prepares to face tested favorites PLDT and Chery Tiggo.
“I’m so happy that we won this game. [It was a] difficult game because Creamline is a very good team. Every time, I say if you’re training good, you do good play,” Salas said. “I think this is the point every day [that] the coaches [make] and [giving] the girls … motivation to move up.
“For sure, we want to fight in this second round so much because we know we need these games.”
Petro Gazz shocked the league with a bronze finish in the previous All-Filipino Conference. But its performance sharply declined in this tournament, highlighted by a three-game losing skid in the first round. The squad carved out back-to-back wins to cap that round.
Those results meant the Angels’ reign isn’t over just yet.
But no one can deny that the pressure is mounting up especially with the frustrations they had recently.
“Knowing that we can come in and still have a chance, we’re OK. We just have to continue to push each other and stay consistent and take it to these teams,” Van Sickle said. “They’re good and we have to try to gain as much points as possible to move on.”“It’s gonna be a battle for sure with all the teams we just don’t know what’s gonna happen so we have to stay consistent and every team’s gonna battle, everyone wants it so we have to stay focused and positive. Stay optimistic, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” she added. INQ
