MARCK Espejo and John Vic De Guzman led a dozen members of the Southeast Asian Games second placers who joined the Philippine men’s volleyball tryouts on Thursday at Subic Gym.
Espejo and De Guzman were reunited with middle blockers Kim Malabunga, Francis Saura and Rex Intal, setters Joshua Retamar, Jessie Lopez and Ish Polvorosa, spikers Mark Alfafara and Jao Umandal as well as liberos Jack Kalingking and Ricky Marcos in the tryouts.
Thirty-one of the 40 players invited by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation attended the tryouts.
De Guzman led the morning session with Alfafara, Umandal, Malabunga and Polvorosa as well as JP Bugaoan, Kim Dayadante, Anthony Ekwenugo, Mark Enciso, Alche Gupiteo, Noel Kampton, Chumson Njigha Jr., Leo Ordiales, Jian Matthee Salarzon and Manuel Sumanguid.
Espejo, Lopez, Retamar, Intal, Saura,Marcos and Kalingking were joined in the afternoon session by Nico Almendras, Leo Aringo, Lloyd Josafat, Joeven dela Vega, Louie Ramirez, Ysay Marasigan, John Mark Ronquillo, Kharyl Parce and Rayver Sison.
A key player missing was Bryan Bagunas, who arrived in the country from his stint in the Japan V.League only recently and had to complete a 14-day quarantine.
“Maayos ang tryouts, una kasi batch by batch ang tryout at sobrang dami ang nag-attend. Makikita mo din na talagang gustong-gusto ng lahat na makapasok sa national team,” said De Guzman.
“Masaya kami kasi sobrang organized and tryout lalo na pagdating sa safety protocols.”
The women’s volleyball tryout was haled on Wednesday. The beach volleyball tryouts form men’s and women’s teams are set on Friday.
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