Choco Mucho was hampered by injuries in the previous Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference but still reached the finals before eventually bowing to Creamline.
In the upcoming second conference of the 2024 season, the Flying Titans will face new challenges.
Besides dealing with injuries, they will play without superstar Sisi Rondina and middle blocker Cherry Nunag due to their commitments to Alas Pilipinas.
Rondina and Nunag were both part of the historic bronze finish of Alas in the AVC Challenge Cup last May.
They will focus on the national team for the next two months as they are scheduled to participate in the two legs of the Southeast Asia V.League in July and August.
The Flying Titans played the past conference without Des Cheng and lost Aduke Ogunsanya and Kat Tolentino along the way due to various injuries.
For head coach Dante Alinsunurin, their current situation is far from comfortable, forcing them to rely on free agency and the first-ever PVL Draft for reinforcements.
“Honestly ngayon, na-momroblema kami sa tao talaga kasi kulang na kami before nung naglaro kami ng championship tapos nabawasan pa kami ng dalawa. Sobrang mahirap para sa’min, mahirap mag-training,” said Alinsunurin on Monday evening at the Collegiate Press Corps awards night, where he was hailed as the UAAP Men’s Volleyball Coach of the Year (National University).
“Siguro umaasa na lang kami ngayon sa mga free agents, darating na draft picks kung sino ‘yung pwedeng makuha namin or makatulong sa’min pagdating ng second conference,” he continued.
Choco Mucho holds the 11th pick in the inaugural draft.
Alinsunurin has no problem with Rondina and Nunag playing for the national team but hopes they will rejoin the Flying Titans immediately after the Alas tournaments.
“Ang alam ko is sa national team lang sila (Rondina and Nunag) pero nag-rerequest kami siguro sa kanila na kung pwede sana kapag tapos na ‘yung mga liga nila, pwede na ulit sila maglaro sa’min,” said the second-year coach of Choco Mucho.
Alinsunurin also provided updates on the status of Cheng, Tolentino, and Ogunsanya, three integral pieces for the Flying Titans.
Cheng, who tore her right ACL, has started joining practice sessions but is still at 30-percent.
Meanwhile, Tolentino, who sustained an auditory condition, is also participating in training and is at 50-percent.
Ogunsanya, on the other hand, continues her rehabilitation from a torn ACL she suffered in March this year.
