After spending the past three conferences on Akari’s bench, Lycha Ebon and Jho Maraguinot finally got the opportunity they had been waiting for with Nxled in the Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference.
Ebon and Maraguinot were both seldom used during their time with the Chargers. But they grabbed the spotlight in the Chameleons’ 25-18, 25-14, 25-19 opening-day win versus Gerflor at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
The former FEU standout scored a game-high 14 points with 12 attacks and two blocks. Meanwhile, the ex-Ateneo stalwart delivered 11 points along with six receptions – both as starters.
“Ako kasi personally, ngayon lang ako nakabalik ng PVL. ‘Di ako naano last conference. Opportunity ‘to para sa amin ni ate Jho (Maraguinot) sa loob ng arena, ‘di (na) lang (kami) manonood kaya grinab ko na,” said Ebon.
“More on nag-trust ako sa self ko kasi nakikita ko yung mga kasama ko, yung coaches, and management, na grabe yung trust na binibigay sa akin kaya ginagawa ko na lang, binubuhos ko yung best ko every training.”
“I’m very happy with the performance kasi ever since coach Taka arrived, he would always say to us na don’t expect na malakas agad kami. Day by day, ang gusto nya lang samin mag-improve. With the game plan today, he’s happy. We’re very happy,” echoed Maraguinot.
Japanese head coach Taka Minowa was impressed with what she saw from Ebon, especially above the net, and noted that she’s finally trusting herself after losing confidence in herself.
“She’s [Ebon] a good opposite, especially in PVL. She had 2 blocks in this game. She didn’t play much in the last competition. That’s why she kind of doesn’t believe in herself,” said the husband of Jaja Santiago.
“That’s why I try repeating that you need to trust yourself. And now she’s getting better. Maybe after this competition, she is already among the famous good opposite in the Philippines,” he added.
Minowa, though, had an interesting choice of words when she described Maraguinot.
The 32-year-old former Ageo Medics assistant coach recalled that he was disappointed with Maraguinot’s work ethic. He also revealed that she talked to Maraguinot and told her that as the most experienced player on the team, she must lead by example and change her ways.
“I know everyone says she is a good player before, but for now, since seeing the first time her playing, she’s like lazy. She’s not behaving like a professional. That’s why I told her, you have a lot of career and experience, but you’re not showing it to your teammates,” said Minowa.
“That’s why you need to talk more with the players, coaching staff. You need to share your experience. And now she tries to talk to everyone. Now, she tries to get involved. Before, she didn’t try to get involved. But in these two weeks, she has become better,” he added.
Maraguinot said that she used Minowa’s words as motivation and thanked him for helping her improve for the better.
“It’s a great motivation for me. He doesn’t know kung paano ako maglaro before. I don’t think he’s the kind na ibi-bring up yung past. What he would do is he would try to help and everyone else na mag-improve hindi lang para mag-fit sa system niya kundi para mag-improve ako as an athlete,” said the 27-year-old Maraguinot.
“Para rin sa future.”
