While National University secured the second Final Four ticket in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Tournament, Alas Pilipinas Men pool member Buds Buddin emphasized the need for the Bulldogs to strengthen their mental toughness as they aim for a historic ‘five-peat’ championship.
Compared to the previous championship-winning NU squads, the current Bulldogs team seems to lack the on-court chemistry and strong relationships that powered them through four consecutive UAAP titles.
And this shift has been noticeable following the departure of key players like Owa Retamar and Nico Almendras.
“Before kasi, ang daming distractions. Alam naman natin na halos karamihan sa amin, aside sa five-peat drive namin, part pa ng national team. Yung pressure talaga ng dalawang bagay na ito, napupunta at naapekto mental namin,” Buddin told Tiebreaker Times after NU’s straight-set victory over University of the East on Wednesday afternoon at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
This concern was apparent in NU’s losses to fellow contenders FEU Tamaraws in the first round and DLSU Green Spikers in the second.
However, the Bulldogs have gradually begun rebuilding their mental fortitude, reclaiming their championship identity with a hard-fought five-set win against FEU, followed by commanding sweeps over Adamson and UE.
Besides the pressure of chasing the five-peat, some of the NU spikers — including Buddin — are also keeping an eye on the national team’s campaign in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship this September.
The added responsibility of representing the country on the international stage adds to the mental burden that these players carry as they navigate both their UAAP journey and national team commitments.
“Unti-unti namin pinapa-realize sa amin na huwag muna natin isipin yung national team. Dito muna tayo mag-focus sa UAAP kasi ito yung liga natin ‘eh. Step by step muna tayo,” the third-year outside hitter shared.
“Kailangan pa siguro i-build hindi lang yung physical namin, pati yung mental namin, para pagdating ng game hindi lang condition ng katawan namin, pero yung utak namin is fully prepared,” he added.
With a star-studded lineup that includes Buddin, Jade Disquitado, Leo Ordiales, Choi Diao, and Congolese middle blocker Obed Mukaba, the Bulldogs are not lacking in talent. Skill is not the issue — the key lies in uniting their minds and hearts behind one goal.
Buddin also gave credit to head coach Dante Alinsunurin and his staff for pushing the team not just in refining their skills but also in developing the mental edge necessary to succeed at this level of competition.
“Yung mga coach namin lagi kami rine-remind na unti-untihin lang natin, hindi natin kailangan madaliin yung mga bagay-bagay kasi skills niyo nandiyan na ‘eh. Mental aspect na lang talaga ang need pa i-develop para as one pa kami kumilos from the players to the coaching staff,” said the pride of Palawan.
