Louis Gamban has made a statement in the Spikers’ Turf, in his debut with Savouge.
The former University of the Philippines star announced his arrival with authority, coming off the bench to score a game-high 18 points, leading the Spin Doctors to a thrilling 23-25, 25-17, 25-12, 22-25, 15-8 victory over Martelli Meats on Saturday at the Ynares Sports Arena.
Gamban is determined to help Savouge secure its first podium finish in the team’s third conference in the men’s premier league organized by Sports Vision.
“Siguro one game at a time, more wins to come and kailangan pa namin ipush yung sarili namin at kailangan namin makakuha ng medal this conference,” said the 6-foot outside spiker.
Head coach Sydney Calderon, who also owns the team, is thrilled to have Gamban as part of an already-loaded wing spiker rotation. With notable talents like Hero Austria, Lorenz Señoron, Sherwin Caritativo, Norwel Sanama, Neil De Pedro, and Noy Pedrosa on the roster, Gamban’s addition adds depth and explosive potential to the lineup.
Gamban’s scoring was nothing short of impressive; he converted nearly half of his spike attempts, finishing with a shooting percentage of 47%, going 16-of-34. His efficient performance underscored his ability to contribute significantly to the team's offensive efforts.
Calderon explained her decision to start Gamban on the bench for the Spin Doctors’ first game of the conference.
“Si Louis malaking tulong talaga kasi before this conference, sumasali talaga kami ng mga leagues outside and I know Louis so sabi ko sa kanya you have to observe first bago kita ipapasok kasi syempre, ayaw ko naman mapressure siya kaagad so sabi ko sa kanya sa bench ka muna, tapos nung ipapasok ko na siya it’s your time to do what is right,” he said.
“Hindi natin kailangan ng sobrang palakasan dito, utakan dito. Gusto ko rin sa kanya during training nagbabuy in talaga siya sa system namin."
With his standout performance, Gamban has set high expectations for himself as he continues to integrate into Savouge. Having joined the team just two months ago, he has embraced the transition with enthusiasm.
“Two months na akong nasa Savouge and okay naman yung pagtransition ko sa Savouge kasi sobrang alaga nila sa akin. Ginagawa ko lang yung best every training at sa game,” he remarked.
As Savouge aims for its first medal in the league, fans can expect more fireworks from Gamban as he settles into his role and makes his mark in the Spikers’ Turf.
