Bella Belen is the biggest believer in Alyssa Solomon’s bid to make it to the Korean V-League through the 2025 KOVO Asian Quota Draft.
Long-time teammate and fellow two-time UAAP champion Bella Belen is Alyssa Solomon’s biggest supporter as the latter takes her chances with the 2025 KOVO Women’s Asian Quota Draft in South Korea.
Both having said that they are in their final year of playing with the NU Lady Bulldogs, Belen expressed her utmost support behind Solomon, who is one of a handful of Filipino players attempting to get drafted by one of seven teams in the Korean V-League.
Though previously unaware of Solomon’s plans, Belen said that she likes her teammates’ chances after seeing the way she has performed in recent months.
“Si ate Aly kasi siya yung taong hindi siya masyadong ma-share, hindi siya mags-share kung hindi mo siya tatanungin. So nung nakita namin, tapos nakita namin yung mga pwede niyang makasama doon sa tryouts, sabi ko, malaki yung chance ni ate Aly,” Belen told reporters on the sidelines after their three-set drubbing of UP at the Mall of Asia Arena last March 9.
[RELATED: Alyssa Solomon admits KOVO Asian Quota Draft application was made on a whim — ‘Biglaan lang siya’]
“Kasi yun nga, maganda yung pinapakita niya and maganda yung mga naipakita niya this past UAAP [season] namin and sa international [games]. So hopefully, sana po makuha si ate Aly,” she added.
As for her own post-NU plans, Belen said that there was no denying that playing overseas would be a big goal for herself. But at the moment, she hasn’t really seriously considered anything just yet — adding that she is busy focusing on the Lady Bulldogs’ title retention bid in UAAP Season 87, where NU is currently 5-0.
“Siguro po sa isang player, hindi naman wala yung dream na ganoon na to play international as an import. Pero kasi ako as of now, hindi ko pa siya muna tinitingnan. Naka-focus muna ako sa UAAP,” said Belen.
“Siguro magkakaiba naman po ng [diskarte] yung mga player ko. Ako kasi gusto ko muna mag-present sa present. Gusto ko muna tapusin muna yung UAAP, siguro. Pero siyempre gusto ko naman po maglaro international talaga.”
Of course, Belen knows that Solomon will continue to be committed to NU even as she also considers her plans after college. Seeing last year’s Finals MVP in action during their training, there is no doubt in Belen’s mind that Solomon is in it for the long-haul in NU for Season 87.
“Sa training naman po, nakikita naman namin and sa game na kahit na nag-apply sa ate Aly, [focused parin siya]. Siya rin naman mismo nagsabi na wala pa naman yun, try out pa lang,” said Belen.
“So, nakikita ko naman na naka-focus pa rin naman si ate Aly. And malaki naman na siya alam naman na po namin yung priorities namin,” she continued.