CIGNAL’s shock loss to Galeries Tower in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference might have just been a win in disguise.
At least for now, the HD Spikers find themselves in a unique yet possibly rewarding position in about four months time come the next Rookie Draft.
READ: Eroa's run with Galeries a testament to persistence paying off
The four teams that won’t make it out of the play-in tournament will become the four draft lottery teams with a chance to secure the No. 1 pick from what is expected to be a stacked rookie class.
Now in a three-team play-in pool, there is now a two-thirds chance for Cignal to land at least the No. 4 selection in a player pool that may very well feature the likes of UAAP MVPs Bella Belen and Angel Canino, as well as perennial Best Opposite Spiker Alyssa Solomon.
But will the HD Spikers, indeed, ‘tank’ their way to an early draft pick and let go of a one-third chance to still reach the best-of-three quarterfinals and revive its title hopes this conference?
Enticing? Yes. Likely? Only time will tell.
Lottery team no more
On the other hand, if there was ever a downside to Galeries Tower pulling off one of the league’s greatest PVL upsets in recent memory, it might just be this.
Reaching the quarterfinals has stripped the Highrisers' chances of joining the draft lottery, as they will be guaranteed of at least a Top 8 finish this conference.
It can be recalled that the they used their No. 3 pick in the inaugural draft last year to land the services of La Salle setter-slash-spiker and eventual Alas Pilipinas playmaker Julia Coronel.
With a stacked rookie pool imminent, Lerma Giron’s side can still make use of at least the No. 5 pick or lower come draft night.
For now, in a position where beating either Farm Fresh or Akari in the best-of-three quarters can take them to the semifinals, the rookie draft is the least of Galeries Tower’s concerns.
A legitimate shot at making history in what could be the PVL’s single-most stunning Cinderella run yet is all that matters for the gutsy, erstwhile cellar-dwelling Highrisers.
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