ZUS Coffee will usher in not only a new look, but a new squad altogether with four draft picks, four College of St. Benilde aces, three new signings, two Strong Group Athletics holdovers, and one Japanese champion import led by a new head coach.
It will now be ex-Farm Fresh mentor Jerry Yee who'll call the shots in place of outgoing head coach Rogelio 'Onyok' Getigan.
And all these new faces for the Thunderbelles have already come in hot to spice up last conference's cellar-dwellers' pursuit of Final Four contention.
READ: PVL debut will have to wait as Gagate, Coronel fulfill Alas commitments
Set to become ZUS Coffee's franchise player - albeit at a later stage due to her Alas Pilipinas duties - is Thea Gagate who was chosen first overall in the 2024 PVL Rookie Draft.
And securing the services of a champion Taft tower - alongside University of the East libero Jenina Zeta and Adamson middle blocker Shayra Ancheta and setter Nikka Yandoc - is a much-welcome development Yee hopes to maximize moving forward.
"Now and in the future, kailangan mo ng legitimate na big para tumapat sa mga imports, 'di ba? So talagang sa Reinforced [Conference], talagang magagamit siya. 'Yung posisyon niya, 'yung physique niya, advantage 'yun," said Yee of his brand new 6-foot-2 middle blocker.
"Malaki (maitutulong ni Thea), of course. Malaki siya eh. Kung makakakuha tayo ng magandang pasa, mahirap pigilan yung ganung height. And then sa blocking, parang instant naman yun na hindi rin basta lulusot kay Thea. Any team here in the PVL, magiging swerte to have her."
Taste of Japan firepower
Also entering the fray for the Thunderbelles is Japanese spiker Tamaru Asaka, who is no stranger to Philippine volleyball as a former PVL champion and best outside hitter with Kurashiki Ablaze in the 2023 Invitational Conference.
The 5-foot-7, 25-year-old Asaka has scaled the highest of highs by winning the PVL title in her first and only conference to date. Now that a second call of duty is in order, Yee is optimistic with what she can bring to the young and new-look Thunderbelles.
"She's been practicing with us and nagje-jell naman and nagja-jive naman sila," he said. "Nakita ko siya sa Japan and when I complimented her, 'You’re strong,' sabi niya, '50 percent (pa lang 'yung level ng nilalaro niya)."
Completing ZUS Coffee's 14-player lineup for the Reinforced Conference are champion Lady Blazers Mich Gamit, Jade Gentapa, Gayle Pascual, and reigning NCAA MVP Cloanne Mondoñedo, with SGA returnees Dolly Versoza and Mary Joy Onofre alongside Ypril Tapia, Jeycel Delos Reyes, and Julia Angeles.
Winning might take some more time for such a newly-built team, but the process is promising enough for Yee to believe they'll get there sooner than later.
"Sana ma-maximize namin (si Thea) and sana magamit namin talaga 'yung mga nakuha namin. We are very happy naman na sila 'yung nakuha namin and then 'yung mga kailangan naming posisyunan, napunan namin," he said.
"Lalaban. Lalaban, of course. 'Yung winning, iba pa naman yun. Pero it's a process. Hopefully, it doesn't take us too long na mag-improve to their level."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
