MJ Phillips is exempted from participating in the 2024 Korean V-League (KOVO) Women's Asian Quarter Tryouts, as she sets sights on helping the Petro Gazz Angels in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Petro Gazz middle blocker MJ Phillips will not leave the country anytime soon, despite the approaching 2024 Korean V-League (KOVO) Women's Asian Quarter Tryouts.
Phillips, along with Tots Carlos of Creamline and Mylene Paat of Chery Tiggo, will be a part of 36 hopefuls who will be testing their luck in the Korean league’s annual player draft.
But unlike Carlos and Paat, Phillips is exempted from participating in the tryouts, which will be a three-day event held at Halla Gymnasium and Sun Hotel in Jeju Island, South Korea from April 29 to May 1.
The reason?
“For the players that already played in the KOVO, we don't need to go attend to the tryouts. So only the players that are newcomers, so I'll still be here,” Phillips revealed.
Phillips had previously been drafted fifth overall by the Gwangju AI Peppers a year ago.
The 28-year-old stalwart and her team finished last in the Korean V-League with a dismal 5-31 record. She appeared in all but one of the 36 matches, scoring a total of 256 points.
After her overseas stint, Phillips flew back to Manila on April 16, returning to the fold of the Angels. She did not suit up for two matches but made her
much-anticipated debut in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Saturday.
Phillips delivered 11 points in Petro Gazz’s hard-fought victory over the Nxled Chameleons, helping her side clinch the top spot with a 9-2 record at the end of the elimination round.
Phillips stated that playing in the final match of the preliminaries was crucial for her. After all, it provided an opportunity to catch up with the team's progress under Japanese head coach Koji Tsuzurabara.
“This game was very important to me 'cause I just needed a trial run to see how I work with the team and the system and everything. I was a little shaky but we're gonna get there with more practice,” she said.
With her attention now fully on Petro Gazz's title-contention bid, Phillips is glad to be back in action. She hopes the team becomes a more cohesive unit heading into the round-robin semifinals, which will go into full swing on April 30, Tuesday.
“It feels good to be back, honestly. Seeing familiar faces but also seeing new faces as well. It's been an adjustment, giving like the new system and some new players like how to figure out how to work with them on the court,” she said.
“Our focus wasn't there I would say today but we're gonna come back stronger in the semis and give a good fight.”