With Mylene Paat set to miss at least a game or two for Chery Tiggo, Crossovers coach Kungfu Reyes assured that the team has more than enough wingers to pick up the slack in the semifinals of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Mylene Paat is set to miss at least a game for the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in the semifinal round of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Paat will be trying her luck in the 2024 Korean V-League Women’s Asian Quota Draft, joining 35 other hopefuls including Creamline’s Tots Carlos and Petro Gazz’s MJ Phillips at the tryouts set to be held at Halla Gymnasium and Sun Hotel in Jeju Island, South Korea.
The overseas event is scheduled to take place from April 29 to May 1, 2024. As a result, Paat will be unavailable for at least the opening matchday of the round-robin semifinals on Tuesday, April 30. The next playdate is on May 2, Thursday.
“Siguro may mga mamimiss man ako dito sa semis but then I’m pretty sure na ready 'yung ibang teammates ko kung sakaling ipasok sila,” Paat shared.
Despite Paat’s impending absence, Chery Tiggo head coach Kungfu Reyes said the team is ready to adapt and has more than enough cogs in place to cover the gap left by the former league MVP.
“Ready naman. I think meron kaming lima o anim pang wing…Ang dami naming wing spikers. Lahat naman 'yan trainable, adjustable. Ano lang, basta may tatao diyan. Don’t panic, it’s organic. Kami na bahala doon,” Reyes assured.
He then continued, “Siyempre 'yung Mylene Paat, 'di namin pwedeng palitan 'yun, Mylene Paat 'yun eh, pero 'yung posisyon itself, 'yun ang importante paano mag-step up at paano magpe-prepare as a player. Kami naka-ready na kami sa part ng coaches. All we need to do is execute every training, adjustment after adjustment. 'Yun lang gagawin namin.”
The 30-year-old Bani, Pangasinan native though is tempering expectations as she vies for a roster spot in one of Korean V-League’s seven teams for the second time.
Paat had a successful one-year stint with Nakhon Ratchasima VC in the 2021-22 season of the Thailand Volleyball League but went undrafted in last year’s KOVO’s selection, along with Jia De Guzman, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Majoy Baron, and Iris Tolenada.
“Yung pag-try out ko sa Korea, I’m not expecting na matanggap ako. It’s part of my exposure, experience na rin. I’m so thankful naman kay Coach Kungfu and sa management namin na Chery ay fully supportive naman sila sa pagta-tryout ko.”