PRODUCING thirty combined blocks in two matches is no accident.
It's the product of a calculated gamble by ZUS Coffee head coach Jerry Yee, who chose to convert one of his five natural middle blockers, AC Miner, into an opposite hitter to make the most of the Thunderbelles' enviable depth at the net.
READ: ZUS Coffee strikes again in 'PVL on Tour' by zapping Choco Mucho
The move has paid immediate dividends in the PVL on Tour as ZUS Coffee opened its campaign with back-to-back victories while putting together a staggering 30 blocks as a team, collecting 13 in a four-set win over Akari in Ilagan before dishing out 17 more in a straight-sets sweep of Choco Mucho in Batangas on Saturday.
The Thunderbelles' imposing frontline has come despite prized defender Thea Gagate being away on Alas Pilipinas duties.
Yee still has a loaded middle rotation bannered by former PVL best middle blocker Riza Nogales alongside newcomers Zam Nolasco and Nicole Ong, giving ZUS Coffee plenty of size and length in the middle.
Originally, however, that group was supposed to be even deeper.
Before the preseason tour, Yee had five natural middle blockers on the roster. Rather than leave one buried in the rotation, he opted to move Miner to opposite, a position she had already played earlier in her volleyball career.
The veteran mentor said it was the best way to maximize his personnel.
"As long as willing ‘yung bata, and then sayang naman kasi ‘yung mga middles natin, ‘di natin mama-maximize. 'Pag tatlo silang middle o apat, may hindi talaga maglalaro, so talagang merong isa na mags-switch talaga. Ta-transition na rin naman 'yung mga opposite natin, so unti-unti, nagpapaka-bata tayo talaga," Yee said.
For Yee, the decision reflects the bigger challenge of managing a full 20-player roster.
Instead of simply working with players in their listed positions, he constantly looks for ways to plug weaknesses and create better balance, even if that requires position changes.
It is an acumen born out of what he described as his nitpicky nature as a coach.
"‘Pag coach ka kasi, ang nakikita mo 'yung butas, 'yung kulang, 'yung kailangan na improve. Siyempre, I'd like to start by saying na masaya na nandiyan sila, nagre-respond sila sa mga changes. Pero 'yun na nga, marami po tayong ita-trabaho," he said.
Two matches into the preseason, the numbers already speak for themselves as 30 blocks and two wins have given Yee early proof that shuffling his personnel, starting with Miner's transition to opposite, and maximizing the potential of his current quartet of middles continue to validate ZUS Coffee's stature as one of the PVL's most formidable defensive teams.
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