PVL: Alyssa Valdez has little question in Kyle Negrito’s potential

Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez throughout the PVL press convention.–PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Alyssa Valdez received’t have her longtime teammate and setter Jia De Guzman for the primary time in six years.

However Valdez is assured that Kyle Negrito can fill within the huge footwear left by the eight-time Greatest Setter when Creamline begins its title-retention bid within the season-ending Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Convention.

The three-time PVL Most Invaluable Participant admitted that the Cool Smashers are already lacking the presence of De Guzman, who will play for Denso in Japan V.League. However she believes that Negrito has what it takes to succeed as a beginning setter.

“We’re lacking Jia a lot on and off the courtroom most particularly her management. However we’ve all the time been coaching with Kyle throughout practices for the longest time additionally. She’s been a part of the Creamline Cool Smashers for some time and he or she’s been representing our nation as nicely and in addition she’s mentored the one and solely Jia Morado as nicely,” mentioned Valdez on Wednesday throughout the press convention.

“We’re very assured with the efficiency of Kyle, and we’re gonna be right here supporting her all the best way,” she added.

FILE – Creamline setter Kyle Negrito. PVL PHOTO

Valdez mentioned the 26-year-old Negrito is already conversant in the system of coach Sherwin Meneses as she has been enjoying for Creamline since 2018 after her UAAP stint with Far Japanese College. 

“We’re not making enormous changes as a result of Kyle has been coaching with us for the previous 5 years. It’s only a matter of how we are going to carry out throughout video games coming from a protracted break,” she mentioned. “I believe one factor that coach Sherwin has been instilling in us can be the system. He’d need us to carry out each recreation. Us, spikers and different gamers, we assist her and our coaches to execute.”

Meneses can be assured in Negrito, who’s already a veteran participant of their staff.

Valdez, who returned from a knee harm of their runner-up end within the final Invitational Convention, admitted that the street to their third straight All-Filipino crown can be harder not solely as a result of they’re lacking De Guzman however the 11 different squads — together with newcomers Nxled and Galeries — grew to become stronger.

“It’s an fascinating convention for us undoubtedly, a variety of changes, and proper now, we’re very, very excited to play each single recreation this upcoming convention,” mentioned Valdez. “Effectively, undoubtedly with the brand new groups and veteran groups, we’re very a lot excited really. We’re excited to see our enhancements as a staff and we’re taking it one step at a time.”

“Positively it’s going to be a tougher problem and we’ve to climb extra steps as a result of we at the moment are 12 groups however we’ll give them hopefully a great struggle this convention,” she added.

The Cool Smashers open their quest for a back-to-back towards their sister staff, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, on Sunday at Sensible Araneta Coliseum.