Call it a Van Sickle family reunion.
Petro Gazz’s emphatic 25-21, 25-19, 25-14 victory over Galeries Tower Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the City of Dasmariñas made it look like one as Brooke, the player, her dad Gary, the coach, and mom Lisa, the assistant coach, reunited on this unforgettable affair.
‘You’re the man of the hour,’ Brooke, who fired a match-high 14 points, told her father after the win.
‘It was a full circle moment and I’m going to try to enjoy every game, every point with them again and be coached by my parents again,’ she added.
‘We came out a little slow but overall, it was a team effort,’ said the eldest Van Sickle, who took over interim mentor Brian Esquivel.
Lindsey Vander Weide unloaded 13 hits on her return to the same franchise she led to the title of this same conference three years ago.
She liked what she saw in the team she’s returning to.
‘We have a lot of depth, anybody can step in and make a difference so that makes me really comfortable with them,’ said the 2022 Reinforced Conference Best Foreign Player.
There is hope that Vander Weide, along with the Van Sickles, could help the squad reclaim the championship it last won three years before.
And this win was a good first step toward that goal.
‘It’s going to be tough but we’ll see,’ said Vander Weide.
MJ Phillips, back after her Alas Pilipinas stint, likewise delivered and chipped in 12 hits.
The result spoiled the debut of Galeries Tower bench tactician Godfrey Okumu, who assumed the post of Lerma Giron.