MANILA, Philippines – For an athlete, there’s nothing sweeter than winning championships and gold medals. But for Jema Galanza, everything has been all the more rewarding as she has ended up sharing the glory with family — literally — in the Creamline Cool Smashers.
As they moved on the cusp of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference title on Thursday, Jema relished being able to share the journey with her younger sister Mafe who also plays for the Cool Smashers.
Having already won one championship together last year, Jema beamed with pride as Mafe continued her journey with Creamline.
“Sobran g happy na. Doon sa first day niya sa Creamline hanggang ngayon sobrang laki na ng in-improve niya and ang saya lang na pag nag ce-celebrate ako, nandoon siya,” an emotional Jema said.
“Sobrang nakaka-proud lang — parang naiiyak ka sa tuwa kasi gr abe na yung grinow niya dito sa Creamline,” she added.
In their four-set win over Choco Mucho in Game 1, Mafe was subbed in for the three sets that Creamline won — only sitting out the opening set. Though still moving behind main setter Kyle Negrito, the younger Galanza was able to provide quality plays for head coach Sherwin Meneses.
Knowing the depth of the Creamline bench, Jema couldn’t help but also be grateful for the trust th at the team bestowed on her young sister.
“Thankful din ako kay coach na bin igyan niya ng chance si Mafe and binibigyan din niya ng tiwala sa game,” she said.
Still, there’s more work to be done for both Jema and Mafe should they want their second title as sisters. And for the older of the two, it’s all going to boil down to sticking to Creamline’s system.
“Ako basta nagstick kami sa sistema namin and yun nga sabi ni coach [Sherwin], teamwork talaga. Alam kong kakayanin namin, hindi madali pero paghihirapan namin,” she said.
Game 2 of the PVL All-Filipino Conference is on Sunday, May 12, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
LOS ANGELES – The New York Knicks will be without forward OG Anunoby for Game 3 of their NBA playoff series against Indiana, and Game 2 hero Jalen Brunson is “questionable’ with a foot injury, the team said Thursday (Friday Manil a time).
Anunoby was hurt in the third quarter of the Knicks’ 130-121 victory on Wednesday, which gave New York a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Brunson, who sat out much of the first half after suffering a foot injury in the first quarter but returned to spark a sensational second-half comeback, is also in doubt as the series against the Pacers shifts to Indianapolis.
The injuries are just the latest for the Knicks, who were already without star Julius Randle for the playoffs after he suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Last week Bojan Bogdanovic was ruled out for the rest of the campaign and this week center Mitchell Robinson was ruled out for at least six weeks with an ankle injury.
Knicks forward Josh Hart acknowledged Wednesday that the injuries will test the team’s “next man up” mentality — but he believes the Knicks can cope.
“We’re (not) saying it just because it sounds good. We’re actually saying it because we believe it,” Hart said. “There’s a lot of guys on this team that can start (on other teams) in this league, so when we say it, it’s not cliche.”