With ace spikers Noel Kampton and Vince Maglinao back, La Salle-EcoOil head coach Jose Roque is confident that the Green Oilers can reach their full potential by the end of the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference.
Kampton only played in the latter part of the team’s campaign in the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge due to his duties with the Alas Pilipinas national team, while Maglinao missed the tournament entirely.
Now back in the fold, Roque expects the two to catch up on what La Salle has been working on throughout the offseason.
“So far, okay naman dahil nadagdagan kami. Na-reinforce kami ni Noel [Kampton] saka ni Vince [Maglinao], though ngayon pa lang sila halos nagbe-blend doon sa sistema na dinesign ko with the V-League roster,” said Roque.
“Somehow nakakahabol na sila, kailangan pa siguro mag-sync in sa gusto naming mangyari as a team nung previously na ginawa namin sa V-League,” he added.
“Yun din ang habol namin eh, ‘yung mga previous years kasi I think naalala ko mga once lang kami nakakalaro before UAAP. So we take this opportunity talaga na makadami ng tournaments para mapaghandaan namin ‘yung UAAP season.”
(C) Spikers Turf Images
Roque stated that the team is nearing his desired level ahead of the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Tournament, thanks to their experience in the V-League. However, he emphasized that there’s still one area he wants them to improve on—consistency.
That will be the main focus for the Green Oilers in their campaign in the Invitational Conference, which is powered by ArenaPlus, Mikasa, and Alpha Insurance & Surety Company.
“Nandoon na sila. Actually for me, somehow naaabot na namin eh. Ang tinitignan ko na lang ‘yung consistency. Kasi ‘di natin masabi, they reached already ‘yung almost the peak, but ‘yung to maintain that and go beyond that, ‘yun ‘yung medyo mahirap,” said Roque.
“Nasa progress pa rin kami nun, pero hopefully sa end ng season nitong Spikers’ Turf, nandoon na kami.”
