Creamline Cool Smashers’ star Bernadeth Pons in the PVL Reinforced Conference final against Akari Chargers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
MANILA, Philippines — In the import-laden tournament, Creamline Cool Smashers’ Bernadeth Pons won her first-ever MVP award after emerging as the top local player of the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.
MV-Pons — a campaign launched by Far Eastern University fans for Pons when she led the Lady Tamaraws to the UAAP Season 80 finals in 2018 but lost the award to Jaja Santiago — has been fulfilled by the pride of Talisay, Negros Occidental after making her breakthrough performance in the PVL midseason.
Stepping up in the absence of the trio of Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, and Jema Galanza, Pons earned her biggest individual achievement yet in her second year in the pros that also came with the PVL Reinforced crown–the Cool Smashers’ ninth title overall–after a straight set win over Akari in the final on Wednesday.
READ: PVL: Eager to contribute, Bernadeth Pons puts up career high
The former FEU star shone brightly as one of Creamline’s reliable players as a top 10 scorer with a total of 147 points built on 136 attacks, five blocks, and six aces.
More than her offensive prowess, Pons also provided a steady floor defense as the league’s No.2 Best Receiver with 45.61% efficiency rate and No.6 in digging with 3.06 digs per set.
“Sobrang happy kasi hindi madali, hindi madali yung conference na ito. Sobrang pahirapan din talaga bawat game pero sobrang tinrabaho namin every day sa training pa lang sobrang ginusto namin na makuha itong championship na ito and sobrang saya kasi first Reinforced Conference ko rin ito with Creamline,” said Pons, who also won the Finals MVP after scoring 19 points on top of 13 excellent receptions, and 12 digs.
“Sobrang fulfilling kasi alam ko eh, alam ko kung paano ako magtrabaho every day, kung paano ako mag extra sa sarili ko rin para maging 100 percent ako sa team kasi may injury ako before. Sobrang saya na every day nakikita ko yung progress ng ginagawa ko and sobrang thankful lang din talaga sa mga teammates ko na laging nandiyan para i-bring out yung best namin.”
The 27-year-old Pons became the fourth Cool Smasher to win the Conference MVP, joining Valdez and Carlos–the winningest with three each–and 2019 Open Conference MVP Galanza.
Best import
MJ Perez and the Cignal HD Spikers in the battle for bronze against PLDT High Speed Hitters. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The do-it-all spiker carried Creamline to the Reinforced finals after a five-year absence, tallying a new PVL career-high of 28 points in Creamline’s come-from-behind 20-25, 26-28, 25-18, 27-25, 15-13 win over MJ Perez and Cignal in the knockout semifinal last Saturday.
As a consolation, Cignal’s Venezuelan spiker won the Best Foreign Guest Player despite shattered title hopes.
After their heartbreaking semifinal loss to Creamline, Perez led Cignal to its fifth bronze medal after scoring 26 points to beat PLDT, 20-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-23.
Perez was the third best scorer in the league with 229 points off 209 kills (ninth in attacking with 34.38% attack rate), 11 blocks, and nine aces (seventh best server with 0.26 aces per set), behind quarterfinalist imports scoring record holder Marina Tushova of Capital1 and Chery Tiggo’s Khat Bell.
The MVP and Best Foreign Guest Players were selected from the semifinalists.
READ: PVL: Erica Staunton’s leadership bringing best out of Creamline
Akari’s Grethcel Soltones brought home one of the two Best Outside Spiker awards as the 16th best scorer with 111 poins off 99 attacks, 10 aces (No.6 in the department with 0.27 per set) and two blocks. She was also the fourth best receiver with 41.12% efficiency.
Petro Gazz’s Brooke Van Sickle, the All-Filipino Conference MVP, also earned a Best Outside Spiker award after emerging as the top local scorer in the league behind five imports at No.6 with 196 points off 170 attacks (No.6 Best Spiker 36.02%) no.6, 10 blocks, and 16 aces
The Filipino-American spiker was the No.8 Best Digger with 2.85 digs per set and No.9 Best Receiver with 37.50% efficiency amid Petro Gazz’s quarterfinal exit, which ended its two-conference reign.
PLDT’s Majoy Baron and Capital1’s breakout player Des Clemente were named as the Best Middle Blockers after being second in blocking with an average of 0.64 and fourth 0.57 blocks per set, respectively.
Gel Cayuna won her fourth Best Setter award after emerging second in setting with 4.69 excellent sets per frame and second best server with 0.37 aces per set. She remains the second winningest awardee for the position behind Jia De Guzman’s eight.
Farm Fresh’s Trisha Tubu won her first-ever Best Opposite Spiker award, becoming the Foxies’ maiden individual awardee after being the top local spiker and No. 5 in the league with a 36.77% attacking rate. She was the No.14 scorer with 123 points off 114 spikes, five blocks, and four aces.
Alyssa Eroa became Galeries Tower’s first-ever individual awardee after earning her maiden PVL Best Libero award. Despite their 0-8 record, the ex-San Sebastian stalwart was the face of the Highrisers’ gallant stand with the conference-best 47.83% receiving rate and No.4 in digging with 4.09 digs per set.
ZUS Coffee’s Sharya Ancheta earned the maiden Rookie of the Conference award amid their winless campaign. The Adamson product was selected by the Thunderbelles as their 13th and second round pick in the draft.