Surprised Pablo relishes Finals MVP plum

Myla Pablo receives Finals MVP Award. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MYLA Pablo admitted she thought teammates Gyzelle Sy and Michele Gumabao deserved the Finals MVP plum more.

“Akala ko kay Gy o kay ate Michele. Nagulat na lang ako kasi di ko in-expect na mag-Finals MVP ako,” she said.

But there’s no doubt Pablo rose to the occasion, leading Pocari Sweat to the championship of the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Open Conference with 23 points as the Lady Warriors clipped Philippine Air Force in four sets, 29-27, 18-25, 25-21, 25-19 on Monday.

And that fact is not lost on coach Rommel Abella.

“From the start naman talaga, sya na ang no. 1 spiker namin. No question naman yun at kita naman ng mga tao yun,” he said. “But going to the semis, iba yung fire na nakita namin sa kanya. No let-up sya padating sa laro. Pag gusto nyang paluin, papaluin nya talaga.”

And Abella was wise to capitalize on the 23-year-old spiker’s scintillating showing, giving her the confidence against a worthy Finals opponent in the Jet Spikers.

“Ang instruction lang namin sa kanya, palo lang sya ng palo. Ma-block man, may coverage naman kami. Iba talaga ang fire na nakita namin sa mata nya from start of semis,” he said.

Though on a high, Pablo is still looking back on that missed chance for a grand exit last season with NU.

“Masaya ako kasi nakuha ko yung Finals MVP. Pero iniisip ko kung bakit di ko ginawa, bakit hindi lumabas yung laro ko sa UAAP. Iniisip ko kung bakit ganoon, bakit ngayon lumabas yung laro ko pero noong UAAP di ko nagawa. Gusto ko ibigay yung best ko para sa NU kasi as the captain kailangan ako, pero di ko nabigay. Fault ko din kasi wala na akong nilalaro na talaga at sobrang off na,” she said.

Pablo still regrets that unfortunate string of events last season, but there’s nothing she can do now and the 5-foot-8 spiker will shift her focus on finishing her studies as a marketing major in NU.

“Focus muna ako sa studies,” she said. “Graduating na ako sa October, so di pwedeng medyo maraming absent dahil sa V-League. Naghahabol ako eh. Mahirap na, baka tumama sa mga araw ng klase.”

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