ALL THAT GAZZ
Everyone knows that Brooke van Sickle will do her part for Petro Gazz. So it’s up to rest of the Angels to do their part as well.
With coach Koji Tsuzurabara’s style of rotating his personnel, veteran hitter Myla Pablo had her turn of backstopping the Filipino-American power hitter in Petro Gazz’s 28-26, 29-27, 25-18 blanking of Akari late Thursday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Brooke owns her job inside the court to deliver for us so I am doing the same thing,” Pablo, who came up with 15 points to help van Sickle, told the Inquirer in Filipino. “I told myself ‘no, I have to work, I have to help the team and the coaches need me to win this game.’”
Pablo has not been given the usual lengthy minutes she used to have in her return earlier this year to her former team after the disbandment of F2 Logistics late in 2023. The National University product was even converted into an opposite hitter by the Japanese mentor.
The two-time league MVP has been waiting—this is her third conference back—for her chance to show once more what she can do and a return to her natural role as an open hitter worked wonders for the veteran.
“Now that I am back as an open hitter, I said “okay, I’ll do my best because I waited so long for this,’” she said after her best performance so. far in this conference. “But I still get overwhelmed and super happy because of the trust that my teammates and coaches have for me.”
Van Sickle, who produced 19 points, 15 of which were from attacks, had help from Jonah Sabete in the All-Filipino Conference, where Pablo did not play a single game, earlier this year. Then, in the Reinforced Conference, it was opposite hitter and import Wilma Salas who formed a 1-2 punch with the reigning MVP.
Pablo, who had previously led the Angels to a championship back in the 2022 import-laced conference, also came through in Petro Gazz’s sweep of Farm Fresh back in Nov. 23 in Candon, Ilocos Sur province, with 11 points.
Call her number
“We know how Brooke plays so she needs help especially from us open and opposite hitters,” the decorated Pablo said. “The ball will really go to us so I said that I need to help Brooke, Brooke needs me for this game and we need to win this.”
“[Winning] would make our fatigue … worth it compared to losing and being tired as well.”
And Pablo can be expected to keep on trying to help Petro Gazz, which only has one loss this conference, coming at the hands of defending champion Creamline.
All Tsuzurabara needs to do is call her number.
“The trust that coach has for me I think [comes] from looking for the leadership and to doing the job inside the court and how you will do it for the team,” Pablo said.
“Coach gives everyone a chance to play so that our teammates will not feel lost but when they are put inside, they all contribute so it’s a big help that coach gives us a chance to play,” she added.
The Angels improved their record to 3-1 (win-loss).
“Coming off our rest, we haven’t played in a while so to be able to come out and stay focused in those tight matches was awesome,” Van Sickle said. “I’m super proud of everyone, I feel like Rem [Palma] did a very good job collecting all the girls while we’re on the court and just to slow us down because I feel like at times we we’re [overeager] and she’s like ‘calm down, it’s okay, take a breath and just play our volleyball.’”
“I thought she did a fantastic job keeping the team together. I thought everyone came out with really good energy. Everyone’s smiling, it was good vibes,” she added. “Akari came out with fire and grit as always and they did a great job. It was a fantastic battle, it was good volleyball.”
