NXLED has already experienced the trap of collecting big names yet still missing out on instant results.
The Chameleons entered the last All-Filipino Conference with a championship-caliber core after absorbing several ex-Petro Gazz stars, headlined by PVL MVPs Brooke Van Sickle and Myla Pablo.
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But despite the talent on paper, Nxled failed to reach the Final Four in its first conference with the former Angels group, learning that even proven stars need time to build chemistry in a new environment.
That experience has shaped the Chameleons’ approach as they welcome another pair of marquee additions in five-time best setter Gel Cayuna and former best middle blocker Jackie Acuña.
This time, Nxled head coach Ettore Guidetti is making sure the team does not rush the process.
Before talking about deep playoff runs or championship aspirations, the Italian mentor wants his players to first establish the connections needed to turn individual talent into a cohesive championship-contending unit.
"To be honest with you, I always, always, always use the same format in every single practice. We never play twice in a week with the same starting six, so this is simply helping me to make a very good scrimmage, a very good performance," Guidetti said.
"We hope to create a connection with everyone, because with a long conference like the ones that we are playing, anything may happen. We don't have to find ourselves in the situation that maybe one middle has never played with the starters."
Time to set things up
The arrival of Cayuna, in particular, has been a major adjustment for the Chameleons, with Guidetti acknowleding how the setter position is unlike any other role on the court and Cayuna tasked to connect all the pieces around her.
"It's super important for us because, yes, we didn't touch the structural part of the team, but we touched one of the positions that is most important, that is the setter. Basically, she's the coach on the floor, so it's super important for us to create connection.," he said.
"Today, we had some misunderstandings with some combos, and this is something that we have to develop day by day and to understand that any time we make a single mistake, it’s not a real problem because we have the second ball, and normally on the second ball, we always, always score."
Pablo, who also made the transition to Nxled after her previous team's leave of absence, has taken on the role of helping Cayuna settle in, knowing the challenges that come with their identical journeys to their new home.
"Gel Cayuna is a one of a kind setter sa PVL. Nu’ng una, medyo nahirapan talaga lahat kasi nga ‘yung communication ng bawat isa. Pero ngayon naman, nakukuha na niya ‘yung mga gusto rin ng mga spikers din," Pablo said.
"Sabi ko nga sa kanya, patience lang and ‘wag siyang mataranta. ‘Wag niyang pangunahan lahat ng mga ginagawa niya."
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