ATENEO team manager Tony Liao has confirmed that Alyssa Valdez will play for PLDT Home Ultera in Game Two of the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Reinforced Conference on Sunday despite opposition from the school.
Valdez had sat out the entire tournament until she defied Ateneo officials' order by coming off the bench to lead the Ultra Fast Hitters to the Game One win over Philippine Army.
Liao said the two-time UAAP MVP is looking to lead the charge when PLDT tries to close out the best-of-three Finals series in Game Two.
“The school admin didn’t want her to play but she wants to play,” Liao, who is also V-League commissioner, told Spin.ph.
Ricky Palou, head of organizing Sports Vision and at the same time Ateneo's representative to the UAAP board, explained that Ateneo officials want to keep Valdez fresh for the coming UAAP season.
[See Alyssa Valdez defied Ateneo order by playing in V-League, admits Palou]
Despite Saturday's incident, Liao said Valdez has been training regularly with the Lady Eagles since.
Liao also believes Ateneo won’t sanction the player.
“I don’t think they (Ateneo) will do that (sanction),” he said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
