Brooke Van Sickle's determination and leadership shone through in the most crucial moments, propelling Petro Gazz to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Tuesday night at the Philsports Arena in the PVL All-Filipino Conference.
The Filipino-American spiker had seen limited action through the first four sets, but when the match reached its decisive fifth set, Van Sickle was there to seize control. Starting in the final frame, she led the Angels with a remarkable display of skill, scoring six points during an 8-3 run that set the tone for the comeback. Van Sickle, who scored the team’s first five points in the deciding set, played an instrumental role in guiding her team to a 20-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-15, 15-7 reverse sweep.
“I’m super proud of everyone. I’m pretty sure everyone brought great energy—it didn’t matter who was on the court,” said Van Sickle, downplaying her individual performance in favor of the collective effort.
With the Angels trailing 2-1 in sets, it was Van Sickle’s timely contributions, combined with the resilience of her teammates, that made the difference. Aiza Pontillas and Myla Pablo each fired 18 points, while Nicole Tiamzon provided an essential 11 points off the bench. Their collective effort, especially in the crucial third and fourth sets, turned the game around and gave Van Sickle the opportunity to shine when it mattered most.
“I’m just really happy and proud of the team right now. We figured things out, pushed through the rough patches, and worked on our game. We got better today as a team, so I’m really happy,” she added, reflecting on the team’s overall performance.
Despite the limited court time in the first four sets, Van Sickle still managed to finish the match with 10 points and 11 excellent digs. Her presence was felt in both offense and defense, and her determination to contribute was apparent despite her physical setback earlier in the conference.
Van Sickle opened up about the knee injury that had limited her minutes. After Petro Gazz’s final match of 2024 against Cignal on December 14, she underwent a minor procedure on her left knee, which had been causing discomfort since the start of the season.
“I did have a minor procedure done the day after we played Cignal. It was just something small—a cleanup for my knee—but I feel a lot better now,” she shared, revealing the reason behind her limited playing time. “In the beginning of the conference, I was a little bothered by it, but I feel really great now. And again, we always have constant communication.”
