FOTON head coach Aaron Velez said that EJ Laure still got game after a two-year lay-off due to shoulder injury in the Philippine Superliga.
“Nasa kanya pa rin yung court sense niya, andun pa rin yung experience,” said Velez. “Kailangan lang namin pagtuunan ng pansin yung kanyang physical conditioning pero hindi natin makakaila na ang mga Laures have their gift of being athletic.”
The comebacking outside hitter helped Foton earn its first win in the PSL Invitational after three outings as she scored eight markers in their three-set win over PLDT on Monday at the Arena in San Juan City.
With Laure seeing action this conference in the absence of Japan-bound sisters Jaja Santiago and Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Velez was impressed on how the University of Santo Tomas star has been stepping up for the team.
“We are actually experimenting kung sino yung kaya mag-step up at mag-deliver ng ganung opensa. I think EJ was able to do that also,” said the Tornadoes coach on Laure, who averaged 8.5 points in their last two games.
It was Laure’s first time to play under Velez since she last played in 2017 Grand Prix and she is seeking to repay the trust of his coach by showing her best every game.
“Sobrang thankful ako na binibigyan ako ng trust agad kasi ngayon palang niya ako naha-handle so 'yun, binigyan niya kaagad ako ng responsibility sa loob ng court,” she said.
“Kasi ilang years ako nawala sa court so sobrang happy lang ako and nagagawa ko na 'yung kung ano 'yung gusto ko.”
The former UAAP Rookie of the Year has played three straight games playing for Foton on Saturday and UST on Sunday in the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference semifinals.
But she has nothing to complain as she treats it as an opportunity to regain her lethal form.
“Siyempre pinapalakas ko 'yung condition ko ngayon especially nagta-training ako sa UST at sa Foton so nado-double time talaga,” Laure said. “Proper na pahinga lang at proper sleep lang para maka-recover kaagad sa susunod na game.”
With her PSL team suffering two losses in the three-game first round, Laure vowed to sustain and even level-up her fine play as Foton enters the tougher second round in Pool D with Sta. Lucia, Generika-Ayala and F2 Logistics.
“Gagawin namin 'yung best namin and siyempre every game, bibigay namin 'yung hundred one percent namin para makuha 'yung panalo,” she said.
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