AFTER winning its maiden Premier Volleyball League championship in the recently-concluded Collegiate Conference, National University will be representing Sta. Elena and eye another title in the Season 2 Open Conference, which opens on Saturday.
But the newly minted Collegiate champion Bulldogs will not have head coach Dante Alinsunurin to call the shots for them as he is an assistant coach for the Reinforced Conference winners, the Air Force Jet Spikers.
Although he is on the other side while his NU assistant and BanKo Perlas head coach Dong Dela Cruz takes over Sta. Elena, Alinsunurin vowed that he will continue to help the school in achieving its goal this Open Conference.
“Kailangan pa rin naming makuha ang kampeonato kahit na nasa kabilang side ako,” Alinsunurin said. “Ganoon pa rin ang gagawin ko kung ano ang kailangan ng tem ko, eensayuhin pa rin namin. Magpo-focus kami sa kung ano talaga ang goal namin sa pagsali sa liga.”
“Target namin na makapasok sa apat. Siguro pagdating sa Final Four doon na lang kami magpu-push talaga kung talagang kakayanin namin o kung hanggang saan kami. Kasi kumpleto naman ang Air Force at nadyan din ang ibang team na gusto ring manalo sa Open Conference,” he added.
Bryan Bagunas, who won three Finals Most Valuable Player awards and as many as championships with NU in UAAP Season 80 and Collegiate Conference as well as with Air Force in Reinforced Conference, is ready to lead the charge once again for the Wrecking Balls even without his coach.
“Paghihirapan pa rin,” Bagunas said.
“Siguro sa ibang coaching staff (kayang kaya naman nila) talagang paghihirapan tapos ‘yung tinuturo nila aapply na lang namin.
“Sa ngayon nandoon na kami sa point na nakuha na namin yung maturity namin sa loob ng court and yung teamwork namin talagang naging solid na,” he added.
Alinsunurin said that this is the start of the Bagunas era in men’s volleyball as he leads the NU core that's also featuring Madz Gampong, James Natividad, Kim Malabunga, Francis Faura, rookie Angelo Almendras, and transferee from UE Edward Camposano as they battle the top men’s club teams in the country like Air Force, PLDT, Cignal, and Vice Co.
“Pagkakataon na ni Bryan talaga ‘tong time na ‘to eh. Yung pagod at hirap niya sa practice, nagdodoble ensayo siya sa indoor tapos sa beach volley hindi siya natatakot na mapagod eh,” he said. “Every time na nagpa-practice siya dapat all out lagi ako kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa bata na ganoon lagi ang attitude niya, and nasasama na rin niya ang mga teammates niya na medyo maganda rin ang nagiging outcome.”
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