‘Let’s enjoy the moment’ La Salle future on hold

MANILA, Philippines – La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus was a very happy man when he stepped out of an empty dugout Saturday night with a ninth UAAP women’s volleyball title under his belt.

Since taking over the coaching chores in 1999, De Jesus has delivered nine titles for La Salle, including three-peats from 2003 to 2005 then 2011 to 2013.

After two finals losses to Ateneo in 2014 and 2015, the boyish-looking head coach steered the Lady Spikers back on top, again at the expense of the Lady Eagles.

Making the victory even sweeter was that it came against Tai Bundit, the Thai coach who has brought wonders to the Ateneo side the past two years.

De Jesus said there’s nothing personal with the rivalry with Bundit. But Saturday’s victory only proved that a Filipino coach can do what a Thai coach can.

“This proves that we can reach the level of the Thai coaches,” De Jesus told The STAR.

It almost didn’t happen.

After winning the opener in straight sets, La Salle came one set away from sweeping Ateneo in this year’s finals. Up two sets to none, the Lady Spikers collapsed.

Ateneo took Game 2 and dragged La Salle to a do-or-die match.

De Jesus said he lost sleep after the bitter loss last Wednesday, twisting and turning in bed, trying to figure out what went wrong.

“Napuyat ako (I lost sleep),” he said.

“I was so tired and I wanted to sleep but I kept thinking about what happened,” said De Jesus.

During the centercourt celebration, De Jesus was so elated he embraced everybody who opened her arms, including Ateneo superstar Alyssa Valdez.

“She’s a very nice person. Even her competitors like her,” he said.

Looking back at the Game 2 defeat, the La Salle coach said he was left with only one way to motivate his players and that was the fact that there was tomorrow.

“I just told them there was another game,” he said.

The Lady Spikers responded when others have doubted. Leading the charge were the graduating Mika Reyes, Ara Galang and Cyd Demecillo along with Maria Esperanza and Carol Cerveza.

Ateneo has a couple of key players graduating this year – Amy Ahomiro and Valdez.

“We had more seniors. We had more players who were graduating and who wanted to win more. Mas madami kaming seniors,” said De Jesus.

Inside the press room of the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the La Salle coach was joined by a handful of players led by Kim Dy, who was named the Finals MVP.

They were asked about the future of the team.

No one was ready to answer.

“Let’s enjoy the moment first. I’m not even thinking of that. When training resumes, it’s when I would think of the problems we have,” said the head coach.

“We waited long for this. Let’s enjoy the moment,” he added.