THERE’S a first for everything, and that’ll be the path that awaits Galeries Tower Highrisers’ newest Brazilian import Monique Helena for the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.
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At 22 years old, the six-foot outside hitter is the youngest reinforcement to date in the import-laden conference.
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It will also be the first overseas playing experience for the import from Brazil.
Prior to the PVL, Helena has played for six Brazilian clubs and has won numerous national and continental competitions such as the South American Club Championship, Brazilian Superliga (2019), Brazilian Cup and Mineiro Championship all in 2019, Brazilian Superliga C (2021, 2023) and a silver in the 2019 Club World Championship.
Helena completes a three-player boost for the Highrisers, who have also signed veteran free agents Roselle Baliton and Shannen Palec ahead of their third PVL conference.
And in over a week’s time, Galeries Tower will lock in its No. 3 overall pick, and possibly more, come the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft on July 8 at Novotel Manila Araneta City.
Who goes No. 3 for Galeries?
By the time the Highrisers cast the third pick, there’ll still be 45 names in the pool to choose from.
But admittedly, deputy coach Godfrey Okumu says the team is still undecided on which particular position they’ll be trying to fill with the No. 3 selection.
The priority, however, is still to boost its offense.
“We could get one of these positions: the setter, outside spiker and even an opposite or a middle blocker (…) but I would prioritize outside spiker for now. Then probably the setter, then the middle blocker comes,” Okumu said.
“These players (in the PVL Rookie Draft) really add value because they’re just coming into the PVL. They’re new. The difference will be which one settles in first and who will add more value to their teams.
“In our team, we’re hoping that the person we will get will come in settled and get to know the team better. That’s the most important thing: building the team together with the people who are in and the people coming in.”
Who goes No. 3?
In their first two PVL conferences, both all-Filipinos, the Highrisers finished 11th and 10th under the tutelage of Lerma Giron.
That’s a total of four wins in 22 PVL matches played.
For Okumu, however, it wasn’t just results that the Highrisers had a sheer lack of. They also fell short of training time with their new players in conferences past.
Now with a bit more time to breathe before battle, the deputy coach believes third time’s the charm with the new, incoming foundations set to bring Galeries Tower to new heights.
“When we started, we were struggling. But as the games continued, we got stronger and stronger. We finished (the All-Filipino Conference) strong and the last game was a good performance for us. So, what we’re looking at, the players that we’re bringing in, we hope that we’ll have time to train together and start work together quickly.
“Last season, when we started, we had new players and we didn’t have time to train together with the new players so by the time the league was coming to an end, that’s when we were just kind of getting to know each other and beginning to work together. That’s why there’s a struggle in the beginning and by the end it is strong.”
“That’s why we believe this time, we will start strong.”
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