Gagate big help, literally, for ZUS but winning still a process

Thea Gagate, as expected, is taken first overall by the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft at Novotel in Quezon City.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

ZUS Coffee, formerly named Strong Group, had a rough debut in the PVL to end up at the bottom of the previous All-Filipino Conference after losing all of its 11 matches.

As it rebranded itself, it also hopes to have a much better outcome in the upcoming Reinforced Conference that unfolds on July 16 and ZUS already took the first step closer to that vision by picking first overall what could be the fitting talent that turns around their fate: Thea Gagate.

“Now or in the future, we need a legitimate big man to compete with the imports so in the Reinforced, in the All-Filipino, she would really be useful for us,” Thunderbelles coach Jerry Yee said late Monday on Draft night. “Her position and physique is an advantage.”

“She would be a big help because she is big,” Yee joked of his 6-foot-1 ward. “If we get a good pass, it would be hard to stop that height and when it comes to blocking, it would also be instant that the attacks won’t just pass through Thea … any team here in the PVL will be lucky to have her.”

Gagate, who have expressed her desire of helping her new team rise through the ranks, symbolizes hope not only to her new club team but also the league’s push toward parity which Yee and PVL president Ricky Palou are looking to be felt as early as the start of the new season in October as the league shifts its schedule.

“We will fight, of course. In terms of winning, it’s a different story but it’s a process as they say,” Yee said when the Inquirer asked how ready the Thunderbelles are to compete against the more established teams. “Hopefully it doesn’t take us too long to improve to their level [because] of course their experience, age or power is on a different level. That’s just how it is,” he added.

Japan training camp

Gagate and former La Salle teammate Julia Coronel, selected by Galeries Tower, are No. 1 and 3 in the Draft. However, the two are still tied up with Alas Pilipinas and would still have to be released by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) before they can make their mark in their respective clubs.Before the national team’s next tour of duty in August, the SEA V.League, Alas will also be in a training camp in Japan that will require the two standouts to miss a huge chunk of preparations and game attendance.

“Maybe [the parity will] not be felt [as early as] the next conference because right now, some of the players who are drafted belong to the national team pool so they can’t play [in the PVL] immediately,” Palou told the Inquirer in a separate interview.

“Although I understand the PNVF is going to release all the players after Aug. 11 … to their respective teams so that’s when they can play but I guess it will also take some time for them to gel with the team [and] with the [other] players [so] maybe by the start of the October conference it could be felt,” Palou added.

Joining the Thunderbelles with Gagate and Yee’s talented College of St. Benilde core of Cloanne Mondoñedo, Gayle Pascual, Jade Gentapa and Mich Gamit, Strong Group mainstays Dolly Verzosa and MJ Onofre and Japanese import Asaka Tamaru are No. 13 pick Sharya Ancheta and No. 19 Nikka Yandoc and fourth round pick Jenina Zeta.ZUS Coffee has also saved a spot for its plans to sign one more free agent as the management plans to round out its roster with 14 players.

“We hope to maximize and utilize those we got so we are very happy to have them and those players who we really need to fill in the vacant positions,” Yee said with only a few days left for ZUS Coffee to prepare before the looming conference.“I am very, very excited … I hope that we improve along the way and hopefully win some games,” he said. INQ