Galeries Tower’s main objective in the inaugural Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Rookie Draft is to fill the gaps in their roster for the upcoming Reinforced Conference, according to assistant coach Godfrey Okumu.
Okumu attended the scrimmages on Day 2 of the Draft Combine at Gameville Ball Park on Tuesday.
He said the team is looking for an outside hitter, middle blocker, and an additional setter to complete the Highrisers roster.
“We’re looking for a middle player because we just lost one. We also need an outside spiker and a third setter since we only have two,” said Okumu, the top assistant to head coach Lerma Giron.
Regarding their third overall pick, Okumu revealed that selecting an outside hitter will be Galeries’ top priority.
(C) PVL Images
“I would prioritize an outside spiker for now. Then probably a setter, and then a middle blocker,” said the Kenyan coach.
Okumu also mentioned that the team is planning for a longer preparation period with their new players to avoid another disappointing finish like in the All-Filipino Conference, where they finished tenth with a 3-8 record.
(C) PVL Images
The former University of the Philippines chief tactician revealed that the team had little time to train with their new players before the season-opening conference, leading to a rough start.
However, Okumu noted that the team managed to turn things around in the latter part of the conference, which is a positive sign for the Highrisers this time around.
“Last conference, we finished ninth. We won two games. Initially, we struggled, but as the games continued, we got stronger. We finished strong, and the last game was a good performance for us,” said Okumu.
“We hope that with the new players coming in, we’ll have time to train together and start working together quickly. Last season, we didn’t have time to train with the new players, which led to struggles at the beginning. By the end of the league, we were starting to know each other and work together, which is why we finished strong. This time, we believe we will start strong.”
Curious about what Galeries Tower is eyeing in the upcoming PVL Draft?
Hear directly from assistant coach Godfrey Okumu as he shares his insights🏐#PVL2024
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