LIPA CITY, BATANGAS — Former PLDT stars John Vic De Guzman and Mark Alfafara were supposed to miss the first-ever PNVF Champions League after their mother club opted to skip the tournament.
And that’s why they’re more than grateful to Go for Gold-Air Force coach Dante Alinsunurin for giving them the chance to suit up in the first-ever Champions League.
“Siyempre thankful kami kay coach kasi nandun yung tiwala niya,” said De Guzman, who has captained all of the Alinsunurin-coached National teams since 2019.
“Siyempre thankful rin kay coach kasi unang una kinuha niya kami ulit as a player pero hindi na sa National Team, dito na sa club team and siguro ayun mas pagbuhutihan pa namin as a team. Yun lang talaga masasabi ko ngayon,” added Alfara, also a National team mainstay under Alinsunurin.
The two definitely did not disappoint in their Air Force debut.
Alfafara, who scored the game-winning block, tallied a game-high 19 points along with nine digs while De Guzman chipped in 16 markers.
“Gusto kasi nila maglaro kaya kinuha ko sila,” said Alinsunurin.
Just last October, Alinsunurin, Alfafara, and De Guzman flew to Thailand to represent the Philippines in the 2021 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship.
The last time they were all together was in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games where they ended up with a historical silver medal finish.
More than anything, though, De Guzman is just glad to see men’s volleyball finally back in action after a two-year layoff.
“Unang una sobrang thankful ako dahil sa opportunity na ‘to na after nung SEA games 2019 na cut kasi eh dahil sa pandemic,” said De Guzman.
“Pero sobrang thankful namin dahil ito na ulit yung men’s volleyball nagbabalik na ulit yung commercial tournaments namin and at the same time yung goal namin in the future na sana may mahikayat kaming mga young aspirants na magtutuloy nung ginagawa naming legacy for the men’s national volleyball team.”
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