IT can be said that CHOCO Mucho problems are not alien to most sports teams.
But for one of the country's strongest teams, what it is experiencing is like a "curse" that repeats itself when things seem to be looking good. It is losing personnel at the speed of a bad stomach and if it continues, the team's title bid will be in peril.
Flying Titans head coach Dante Alinsunurin has noted that the team’s personnel problem seems to happen soon after a strong tournament finish such as the time they were All-Filipino Conference runner-ups and then was followed by a franchise-worst ninth-place run in import-laden play.
READ: Sisi says she's better, wiser after tiring 2024 with Alas, Choco
“Naging problema talaga ngayong [year] sa’min is siyempre ‘yung pagkawala ng players ko every time na meron kaming magandang chance [at momentum],” said Alinsunurin.
The season has been marred by player departures, lengthy injury layoffs and Alas Pilipinas duties. Because of this, the Choco Mucho mentor has been forced to dig deep into his bench as they compete in the ongoing 2024-25 All-Filipino tilt.
New faces have taken big roles such as his use of lone draft pick in middle blocker Lorraine Pecaña to fill the void left by now-Creamline ace Bea de Leon, Japan-bound Maddie Madayag and an on-the-mend Aduke Ogunsanya.
Also on injury list is ace setter Deanna Wong and spikers Regine Arocha and Mean Mendrez.
The limited starpower showed in its current record which stands at 3-3 which is a share of sixth place in the team standings with Akari.
“Nagkakataon talagang may mga bago akong pinapasok sa loob na mas kailangan kong i-maximize kasi may mga bagay kami na pinaghahandaan para pagdating ng bandang huli, kung may nagiging problema tayo pagdating sa tao, sana pagdating ng January, maging maayos na ‘yung takbo ng team,” Alinsunurin said.
“Kung anuman ‘yung pangangailangan natin sa tao, nandyan na sana lagi. Every time na tatawagin ko, every time na kailangan namin sa loob ng court, may magpe-perform.”
‘Everything happens for a reason’
Choco Mucho’s drop in form since last year’s All-Filipino Conference finals has its star, team captain and league-leading scorer Sisi Rondina, a bit worried.
She described the year as painful, but being a warrior to the core, there are positives which she believes will help them moving forward.
“Team effort naman palagi, so kung ano ‘yung kakalabasan ng laro namin, tatanggapin namin. Alam din naman namin na masakit yung mga nangyayari ngayon kasi siyempre, ‘di namin ine-expect ‘yung mga nangyayari na ‘yun, but everything happens for a reason,” Rondina said.
“Kailangan lang talaga namin magtrabaho nang magtrabaho hanggang makuha namin o maibalik talaga namin ‘yung galaw namin.
“Masaya lang kami na marami kaming natutunan sa mga laro namin. Ending this year na buhat namin ‘yung mga learnings namin sa mga games namin. Talo man o panalo, alam naming magagamit namin yun. Aayusin na lang at pagtutulungan.”
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.
