Playing for Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas in college, opportunities were few and far between for Nas Gwaza.
The middle blocker from Nigeria got his first big break after the pandemic when the D’Navigators saw him playing in Manila and offered him a spot on their team for their first-ever participation in the Spikers’ Turf.
The D’Navigators performed well in the 2023 Open Conference, finishing fourth, while Gwaza introduced himself to the men’s premier league by earning one of the Best Middle Blocker awards.
He stayed with the rising team for another conference before receiving the call of a lifetime, with Cignal offering him a contract for the 2024 season.
(C) Spikers Turf Images
“I did college here, but not for big schools like Ateneo or La Salle. I played college here for PCU-Dasmariñas, so there’s not a lot of coverage there, so of course, no one knew me,” Gwaza said.
“For five years, I was enrolled here. Then after graduation, the pandemic hit. After the pandemic, I was just playing around Manila, and the team manager of D’Navigators saw me and asked if I would like to play for the team. I said sure,” he continued.
“That’s what I’m looking for, so from there, I got my chance, grabbed it, and now I’m with Cignal. It’s all about getting opportunities and making sure they count.”
Joining the HD Spikers was a dream come true for the 6-foot-1 middle blocker, who had the time of his life playing against Cignal while still with the D’Navigators.
Before even joining the D’Navigators, he had already tried to send fillers to join Cignal by messaging head coach Dexter Clamor multiple times, but to no avail. When the opportunity finally came, he didn’t let go of it.
“I always enjoyed playing against Cignal. I wanted to beat them. So when I got the offer from Cignal, it was a lot of emotions because I actually wanted to play for them,” said the 29-year-old Gwaza.
“I messaged Coach Dex for three years in a row, trying to get on the team, but every time there was no spot. But when I played for D’Navigators and then got the offer from Cignal, I said, ‘Maybe I did some good things, and now I’m here.’”
However, playing time has been scarce for Gwaza, as the HD Spikers have a stacked lineup with JP Bugaoan and Lloyd Josafat—both members of Alas Pilipinas—as his main competition for a starting spot.
Still, Gwaza believes he belongs, confident in his abilities as a volleyball player, strengthened by his past experiences.
Given the spotlight on Friday against VNS, Gwaza came in ready, delivering 13 points on nine spikes, three blocks, and an ace to earn Player of the Game honors.
“Actually, I think I might be the smallest middle blocker on the team, but I have very high confidence in myself. I know what I can do, and I know that if the coaches trust me and my teammates trust me, I can be the very best,” shared Gwaza.
“It’s good to compete against the likes of JP and Lloyd—national team players. It’s a good challenge. Training is always very intense. Everyone wants to get the minutes, so there’s no time to relax.”
