Jessica Galanza, AdU Lady Falcons’ Newest Star Player
For Jema Galanza game highlights, I uploaded videos on my Youtube channel. You can watch the playlist here:
Jessica Margarett Galanza, or fondly called as Jema, is quite unexpectedly putting up sort of MVP-worthy numbers
in just a week since UAAP Season 78 Women’s Volleyball has started. Currently
at number 2 in both the Best Scorer (with 45 points in two games) and Best
Spiker (with 43.62%), and number 5 in Best Digger, Jema is definitely not just a pretty face. She’s quite unexpectedly
turning so many heads this season, proving everyone that she’s undoubtedly the
Adamson University Lady Falcons’ newest star player.
Before I get carried away and
swoon much more about Jema, let’s
pause a bit and talk about her last UAAP season. After that, we’ll go back to
swooning.
Without Bang Pineda last year but
with Amanda Villanueva, Jema didn’t
get that spotlight YET, though she was obviously the second scoring option for
the Lady Falcons (Amanda was first). To set the record straight, I’m actually a
De La Salle University Lady Spikers fan way back when Manilla Santos was still
playing. I also admire Ara Galang’s game. Meanwhile, with Adamson, I really
liked Bang Pineda because I’m usually drawn towards players who are not that
tall but have high elevation for a really powerful spike and who are also good
defensively… just well-rounded kind of a player. When Bang graduated, I still
was rooting for Adamson, but I just had to find a player that would convince
me.
I’m probably one of the few who
already noticed Jema. Last year, she
was still so chubby though, I mean no disrespect. She needed that break out
game to shine… and it was in that first round meeting of Adamson and UP that
she unleashed her THEN career-high 24 points. Though Jema has always been pretty, her weight last year made her looked
CUTE. I thought, imagine if she was a bit slimmer or fit, she’d really slay on
the court not just in volleyball skills but in the looks department as well. I’m
disappointed with how Adamson finished last UAAP season. Admittedly, I didn’t
expect anything sort of incredible from the team or just from Jema this UAAP
Season 78. Lo and behold, I would be proven wrong, at least by Jema, during their very first game last
February 3, 2016 against the UST Tigresses. I’ll give my POV about this game.
First Set: Jema was quiet. She only scored one point. I didn’t feel her
presence probably because it was May Roque who was getting the job done.
Second Set: I was hoping that she
would make her presence felt… with 6 points. In my opinion, that really happened
at the latter part of this set courtesy of that unforgettable and number-4-of-the-Top-Ten-plays-of-this-week-worthy
drop ball.
Third Set: This is, I dare say,
the real start of Jema’s explosive
game, scoring a point after the other. 6 out of those first ten points of Adamson
were from Jema (she had 9 points in
the third set). Four of those were powerful attacks while the other two were service
aces. During their last rally of the set, before UST overtook them and Adamson
got stuck at 20 points, I love how she carried the team. Though they lost this
set, my most favorite part would have to be her very cute STAREDOWN after an
empathic spike… just because Jema
doesn’t usually do that (I’ll elaborate this point later).
Fourth Set: I became worried that
Adamson had lost their momentum and it crossed my mind that it might cause them
their defeat. This is the nail-biting set of the match. I was on the very edge
of my seat especially at the latter part. What made this set most exciting was
the talked-about Galanza-Rondina
showdown. Of course, I was rooting for Jema.
She didn’t back down. She didn’t falter. She handled it well more than her
teammates. If she would have been in the front row still and she was not the
one serving, they could have won that game in 4 sets. Jema had 8 points in this set.
Fifth Set: I gotta say, in
basketball term, Jema is like the ‘clutch
player’ of a team. When you need points during the crucial moments of the game
where it’s either make it or break it, you HAVE to give it to her… you just
have to. When it comes to offense in this set, Jema delivered it at the latter part. 3 of the last 6 points of
Adamson in that 16-14 5th set victory were from her. I just love
that winning service ace of Jema. It was so perfect, enough to be number 2 in
the Top Ten Plays of the Week. Her presence of mind at that point was smart. It’s
hard to imagine what the result would have been if she didn’t try to do that.
Come to think of it, UST might have won if it didn’t end up right there… since Jema was on the back row.
Jema’s game against UST is not only when she had her new
career-high 28 points… It is her best game to date. She is the main offensive
weapon of Adamson. So far, after two games, she’s the most consistent. I couldn’t
imagine Adamson being a Final Four contender if Jema is not playing well. This is not to discredit the contributions
that her teammates have made as well. It’s just that, if we are being honest
here, she’s the one carrying the team, which is not baffling but very puzzling
that she’s not the team captain (Mylene Paat is). It’s really funny because I’ve
noticed how the Adamson Lady Falcons coaching staff has a knack for picking the
‘wrong’ team captains, at least for the last three. I think I know why they
picked Mylene… probably because she is the ‘vocal’ leader as compared to her
teammates. And so far, it’s not effective. Why not pick someone who leads by
EXAMPLE. It doesn’t matter if you are vocal but your attitude (and or the lack
of morale) once on the court and the way you play SUCK big time, you gotta let
someone else to lead the team... someone who’s really deserving even though she
might be the ‘not vocal’ or quiet type. Yes, I am talking about Jema. I think Mylene’s leadership has become
detrimental to Adamson’s chances this season. I hope she would prove me wrong
though. I’m also worried about the setting of Emnas and the tons of error of
the team. As a whole, they should play better and be consistent.
Though I love watching Jema having a monstrous game everytime,
it would be disappointing if the entire burden will be on her. She still needs
the help from her teammates. Imagine how stressful it would be for her if that
happens… how would she still maintain her pretty and angelic face? I mean, Jema could still look radiant even if
she is sweating on the court. She could pull it off even if she would be hit straight
to her face with a volleyball or tumble down trying to save a ball. Doing these
never looked as graceful and pretty as Jema does. Her sweet smile when
celebrating a point, even her impassive reaction when she brings the house
down, and when this pure innocent looking girl suddenly stares down with gusto
upon slaying a point for her team melt our hearts. She has the swag that doesn’t
come off as arrogance (unlike other UAAP volleyball players).
Among the Lady Falcon’s players
right now, Jema is the best one. I
just love that it’s not only her offense that is working… her floor defense is
evident as well. There are two things that I actually want her to improve on…
her blocking and back row attack. If she could do that, then all is well. She’s
not only going to shine brightly this year, it will continue for the rest of
her UAAP playing years. She is undoubtedly Adamson University’s newest star
player.
In honor of Jema, I made a fan video tributes for her. Check it out here:
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