Choco Mucho setter Deanna Wong. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
Part of Choco Mucho’s current success in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference can be attributed to Deanna Wong’s playmaking.
But for her coaches, the Cebuana setter still has untapped potential that is waiting to be discovered.
“When we (coaching staff) went to Choco Mucho, I really saw her potential. Deanna came from a UAAP champion team, so she has that champion’s blood,” assistant coach Jessie Lopez said after the Flying Titans defeated Nxled, 25-11, 25-20, 25-19, at PhilSports Arena on Tuesday.“We just need to find the proper approach to unleash her natural performance inside the court and at the same time see progress from her every game,” Lopez added.
The former Ateneo stalwart astutely activated her hitters with 20 excellent sets to lift Choco Mucho to its fourth consecutive win, with majority of those sets going to Sisi Rondina, who finished with 16 points on 14 attacks and two blocks.
In the Flying Titans’ straight sets win over Cignal, Wong also had 16 excellent sets resulting in four of her teammates reaching double-digit contributions.
“We are happy and grateful for the win, but there are still games left [to be played] so whatever happened inside the court earlier, we’ll take everything we can learn from that and bring it to the next games,” Wong said in Filipino.
“I think the win streak is a great momentum-builder leading to the next games, where we would face stronger opponents. But for me, I take it game by game so I don’t think about the next games yet. We’ll just focus first on who we’ll face first,” she added.Choco Mucho started the game strong with a 17-3 attacks advantage in the first set while also having an overwhelming edge in errors with Nxled committing 24.
F2 trips Farm Fresh
The Chameleons absorbed their fourth straight loss for 1-4 overall despite the efforts of Jho Maraguinot and Judith Abil, who had 14 and 11 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, F2 Logistics is going where its young core is taking it, escaping a major upset after holding on for a 28-26, 20-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-8 victory in the other game.
Young guns Jolina dela Cruz and Ivy Lacsina both finished with 27 points with Dela Cruz having 25 on attacks while adding 10 excellent digs as well as receptions.
“I wasn’t expecting that kind of scoring because I haven’t done that before … we came to understand that we need to get back on our winning ways,” Dela Cruz said, referencing the Cargo Movers’ loss to Petro Gazz previously.
Trisha Tubu had 30 points to lead Farm Fresh, which has been circling the edge of a breakthrough victory the past few games and played its first five-setter in its franchise’s young history.
“Maybe this is a part of birth pains having younger players,” F2 coach Regine Diego said. “We still need to teach them how to make points, what to feel, what’s the play. They still need a lot of guidance.” INQ