‘We have a strategy in choosing players in specific positions.’
THE looming absence of Tots Carlos will be on the mind of Creamline when it makes its choice in the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft on 8 July.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PVL
Creamline will play the waiting game in the historic Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Rookie Draft slated on 8 July at the Novotel in Cubao, Quezon City.
Picking last in all rounds based on the Draft format after ruling the season-opening All-Filipino Conference, the Cool Smashers will have to wait and see who among the 49 aspirants will be left for them to select.
So, eyeing potential prospects will be extra challenging being at the tail end of each round.
Actually, we have players in mind. But of course, it will all depend on what situation we’ll be in after other teams have selected one to 11 (in the first round),” Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses said as his squad will pick 12th in the opening round.
The Cool Smashers coaching staff and front office were in full force during the two-day Draft Combine held in Gameville Ballpark in Mandaluyong City scouting for pieces that will beef up their roster for the Reinforced Conference slated to begin on 16 July.
Creamline will desperately need scorers if not a solid support crew on offense to help veterans Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao, Bernadeth Pons and Bea de Leon, especially with main gunners Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza on active duty with the national team.
Carlos and Galanza were called up to join Alas Pilipinas for the FIVB Challenger Cup hosted by the Philippines next week and in the Southeast Asian V-League in August.
This opens up a huge gap that Creamline hopes its picks will help fill.
But it won’t be easy though.
“We have a strategy in choosing players in specific positions. But then again, all will still depend on the Top 11. We’re picking no. 12 so it’s really difficult to think of one specific position,” Meneses said.
Zus Coffee, who ended up winless in the AFC, will select first and is expected to claim the projected No. 1 pick overall De La Salle University middle blocker Thea Gagate.
The second overall pick belongs to Capital1, which could opt for opposite spiker Leila Cruz of La Salle. Galeries Tower takes the third pick followed by Farm Fresh.
Nxled will get the fifth pick overall followed by Akari, Cignal, PLDT, Chery Tiggo, Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho and Creamline.
The second round will have Zus Coffee taking the first pick followed by Capital1, Galeries Tower and Farm Fresh based on the reverse final standing of the previous conference where the worst team chooses first and the champion selects last.
Creamline signed American Erica Staunton as import in the foreign guest player-flavored tournament in hopes of ending a six-year title drought.
The Cool Smashers last ruled the Reinforced Conference back in 2018 behind American Laura Schaudt and Thai Kuttika Kaewpin.
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