By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Right after Alas Pilipinas’ historic podium finish during the AVC Challenge Cup, preparations immediately ramped up for their upcoming international tournament outings.
For national team head coach Jorge Souza de Brito, creating the best-assembled team that will banner the Philippines in the future will become the first step to their targeted success.
And they exactly did that after the organization proudly announced that they recently added the scoring duo of the Creamline Cool Smashers, Jema Galanza and Tots Carlos, to the Alas Pilipinas pool.
However, de Brito and his coaching staff are far from satisfied, stating that they still have a list of players that they want to be included in the national team.
De Brito expressed that Alas Pilipinas is currently targeting the services of setter Mars Alba, middle blocker Maddie Madayag, and former blocker turned spiker Ivy Lacsina.
Alba, a former UAAP champion with the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers and is now playing for the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), filled the void of the injured Deanna Wong for most of the All-Filipino Conference.
Despite her debut conference with the Flying Titans after her former mother franchise F2 Logistics disbanded, Alba proved she was worth the off-season pick-up when she helped the team reach the PVL finals.
Aside from her great feel of the game, her court IQ and awareness of where her attackers are separates her from the other setters in the PVL.
Meanwhile, Madayag is Alba’s teammate in Choco Mucho and was already a part of the previous national team several years ago.
With her length, height, and defensive prowess when she is stationed in the middle, Alas Pilipinas’ already talented pool of middle blockers will receive a huge boost once she agrees to become a part of the pool.
Lastly, Lacsina is also eyed to become a part of the current pool as her two-way efficiency can be utilized especially in international tournaments.
According to de Brito, Alas Pilipinas is also looking into the possibility of adding FEU’s Tin Ubaldo and St. Benilde’s Gayle Pascual.
