Despite injury woes plaguing the Choco Mucho Titans, Coach Dante Alinsunurin is adamant in seeking depth to the roster come the PVL Draft.
After falling short once again in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans are heading back to the drawing board.
Finishing fourth in the extended conference, the Flying Titans made their plans clear—to strengthen their roster through the league’s second rookie draft this June.
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Head coach Dante Alinsunurin acknowledged the gaps that resurfaced for Choco Mucho, especially as injuries piled up during the crucial stages of their campaign, leaving the team stretched thin in the bronze medal series against Akari.
“Kailangan lang namin pag-aralan pa kung ano 'yung kakailanganin pagdating namin sa mga games pa kasi kitang-kita naman talaga namin na every time na meron ganito, talagang Finals or quarterfinals, talagang dun kami nagkukulang,” Alinsunurin admitted to reporters a day after the Flying Titans’ Game 3 match.
Choco Mucho was dealt a tough hand with key players Kat Tolentino, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, and Maika Ortiz sidelined by various injuries, forcing Alinsunurin to reshuffle and rely on makeshift rotations just to stay competitive.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Choco Mucho’s bronze push means more than just a medal, says Dante Alinsunurin]
However, with the PVL Draft, the multi-titled coach is eager to use the opportunity to inject much-needed youth and depth into the lineup, especially at the opposite hitter position—an area he identified as a recurring challenge.
The Flying Titans will have the eighth overall pick out of 12 teams in the first round of the draft.
Last year, Choco Mucho selected middle blocker Lorraine Pecaña out of Arellano at 11th overall in the first round but skipped the succeeding rounds.
This time, the team is expected to be more aggressive in finding young prospects to avoid the depth issues that have repeatedly derailed their title hopes.
“Siguro mas marami kaming makukuha na mga bata para mas maging maayos 'yung takbo ng laro every time na may mga sitwasyon,” Alinsunurin said. “Baka marami na kaming kunin kasi para mapaghandaan talaga 'yung naging problema namin pagdating sa mga ganitong laro.”
(With reports from Xander Cipriano/One Sports Digital)