Jorge de Brito looks to expand Alas Pilipinas pool with these aces

Alas Pilipinas head coach Jorge de Brito is eyeing to expand the national team pool with the addition of four players that have been invited before as well as six others who are part of his wishlist.

De Brito said that the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) is reconsidering tapping the Creamline duo of Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza and National University standouts Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, all of whom have been given invites before but had to decline due to personal reasons.

De Brito, however, said Carlos and Solomon remain in rehabilitation from injuries they sustained from the past PVL and UAAP actions.

“As of now, we invited (since before) Solomon, Belen, Jema and Tots. As we know, some of them have special needs, Tots and Solomon are under recovering treatments,” de Brito told GMA News Online in a message Tuesday.

“I had a little talk with Tots and she is under therapy now. (For) Solomon, we will meet tomorrow and we are going to follow her needs.”

De Brito, whose contract was extended by PNVF until the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, also bared six other players whom he looks to add to the pool in the future.

The Brazilian tactician shared that PVL stars Ivy Lacsina, Mars Alba, and Maddie Madayag and rising stars from collegiate ranks like Tin Ubaldo of FEU, Gayle Pascualof Benilde, and Detdet Pepito of UST are also under consideration.

The development came just weeks before Alas see action in the 2024 FIVB Challenger Cup here, where the 14-person core led by Jia de Guzman, Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Angel Canino, and Dawn Macandili-Catindig banners the flag.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News