Provincial teams Basilan Steel Spikers Amin-Anak Mindanao, MRT-Negros, and Team Dasma hope to make an immediate impact when the men’s competition of the PNVF Champions League unfurls on Monday, Nov. 29, at the Aquamarine Recreational Center in Lipa City.
Steel Spikers team manager Dr. Arnel Hajan said that the Basilan-based club, composed of a selection of players from Mindanao, will give their best in their initial foray in the federation-owned national league.
“This might be our first tournament as a volleyball club but our players were experienced so expect tough and exciting games from us. We will give our best in each game,” Hajan, who is also the PNVF Vice President, said.
“As for our goal in PNVF Champions League, of course our first target is to make it to the Final Four, then we will take it one game at a time and, who knows, we might be able to reach the top,” he added.
The Basilan Steel Spikers are bracketed in Pool A along with Go For Gold-Air Force and VNS.
After drawing an opening day bye, the Steel Spikers will make their debut on Tuesday (Nov. 30) against the Aguilas, who are composed of mostly national team standouts.
MRT-Negros and Team Dasma, which are in Pool B along with Global Remit, Sabong International Spikers, are also hoping to prove that provincial teams can go toe-to-toe with established clubs in the tournament.
“I expect the team to give their best. This team will showcase the individual skills of Negrenses and we will be all out to show that Negros Occidental is a powerhouse of volleyball athletes who will represent Philippine volleyball in the future,” MRT-Negros team manager Andre Ea said.
“I saw the progress of the team and they displayed great potential to win the title,” he added.
MRT-Negros, which started its build-up for the competition last August with a series of tryouts in Negros Occidental and Panay Island, will open its campaign against Sabong International Spikers on Monday.
Representing Dasmariñas City in Cavite, the Monarchs have a purpose in their Champions League participation.
“Let us help in reviving the struggling sports industry,” Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga during a recent courtesy call for the Monarchs said.
Team Dasma will take on VNS in the Monday opener.
The Steel Spikers, MRT-Negros, and the Monarchs arrived in the bubble Saturday and will start training on Sunday after clearing the RT-PCR tests. (PNVF) – bny
