ONLY 14 players have suited up for the new-look Alas Pilipinas since the national team’s latest iteration ahead of the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Women in May.
READ: De Brito staying on to steer Alas Pilipinas' continued rise
The aforementioned home tournament’s bronze-clinching squad is now expected to be Alas’ core the rest of the way. But for head coach Jorge Souza de Brito, who was re-signed to call the shots for Alas until next year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, the women’s national team won’t remain a 14-woman squad.
Shortly after the AVC tournament, the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) confirmed the additions of UAAP stars Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon and Casiey Dongallo to the national team pool.
The collegiate trio initially skipped Alas duties, with the National University opting to rest and recover from their recent UAAP title run and the University of the East rookie ace suffering a right arm injury.
Making a list, checking it twice
While de Brito did reveal that Belen and Solomon will join the national team for the first time in a closed-door tuneup on Wednesday, he also shared his personal wishlist of players he’ll hope to have onboard for Alas in the near future.
“The same names I have, you have. We have a setter that we want to add in the future: (Mars) Alba from Choco Mucho. (Also) Maddie (Madayag) as a middle blocker can be one. You have also (Ivy) Lacsina, (Alyssa) Solomon, (Bella) Belen, Tots (Carlos), Jema (Galanza), there are many players,” said de Brito.
Apart from Belen and Solomon, de Brito added how he’s also hoping for Creamline’s MVP-champion duo in Carlos and Galanza to attend what would be their first national team training on Wednesday.
Another name he pinpointed, albeit still recovering from an injury, was Zus Coffee’s Jolina dela Cruz who has yet to debut for her new side after missing the entirety of the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) season-opening All-Filipino Conference.
All bar Alba had prior playing stints for the Philippines in international competitions. But his wishlist, however, wasn’t just limited to players from UAAP and Premier Volleyball League (PVL) title-contending sides.
The Brazilian mentor also had an NCAA ace in mind: Season 97 Finals MVP Gayle Pascual from four-time champion squad College of St. Benilde (CSB) alongside Far Eastern University’s (FEU) veteran setter Tin Ubaldo.
“Even (Gayle) Pascual who played for the CSB, (Tin) Ubaldo, the setter from FEU. Some good names that you can always think about. They’re developing themselves and every time you do that, you have a chance in the national team. It’s important to know that if you’re performing good, the door is always open. It’s always been like this.”
Need for a bigger team
De Brito also justified why adding players to the existing national team pool is of equal importance with preserving its initial core of 14 aces.
"We’re also working with the PVL teams, UAAP teams, because we have to balance this. We’re trying to keep the same (core) because I think it’s important. We also need to add more players. Philippine volleyball is much more than these players," said de Brito.
"I have to congratulate them because we got the goals, but also I told them already that we’re gonna add some good players also because every time you get more talented players, it’s better for us. Internal competitions is always good so we’ll try to bring other guys. But we’re gonna try to keep the same core because it’s too close. The competition is too close," he added.
Next up for Alas Pilipinas, possibly with an expanded player pool this time around should Belen, Solomon, Dongallo, Carlos and Galanza be available, is the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Women's Challenger Cup on July 4 to 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium for a chance to qualify for the 2025 edition of the Volleyball Nations League.
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