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Coach Jorge de Brito confirms inclusion of Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza in Alas Pilipinas pool

MANILA (UPDATED) – Creamline stars Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza are now in the player pool for Alas Pilipinas.

National team head coach Jorge de Brito confirmed the development to select reporters on Tuesday.

The squad, which just came home from South Korea after participating in the “Serve-Spike Unite!” exhibition match against Powerful Daegu and “Pistang Pinoy sa Korea 2024,” will have a tune-up on Wednesday and will start training again next week, De Brito added.

Among those who will attend the tune-up will be National University standouts Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen, who were previously added in the pool.

“They [Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza] will join us tomorrow with [Alyssa] Solomon and [Bella] Belen,” De Brito said.

The recruitment of the former Premier Volleyball League (PVL) MVPs would serve as a huge boost to an already-stacked national team composed of captain Jia de Guzman, fellow PVL aces Sisi Rondina, Eya Laure, Vanie Gandler, Faith Nisperos, Fifi Sharma, Dell Palomata, Cherry Nunag, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, and Jen Nierva.

UAAP stars Angel Canino, Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel, Arah Panique, and the injured Casiey Dongallo round out the 19-member pool.

De Brito also added some names he wanted in the pool.

Among those he mentioned were 2024 PVL All-Filipino silver medalists Maddie Madayag and Mars Alba, star spikers Ivy Lacsina and Jolina dela Cruz, and collegiate standouts Gayle Pascual and Tin Ubaldo.

“The same names I have, you have. We have a setter that we want to add in the future: [Mars] Alba from Choco Mucho. [Also] Maddie [Madayag] as a middle blocker can be one. You have also [Ivy] Lacsina, [Alyssa] Solomon, [Bella] Belen, Tots [Carlos], Jema [Galanza], there are many players,” De Brito said.

“Even [Gayle] Pascual who played for the CSB, [Tin] Ubaldo, the setter from FEU. Some good names that you can always think about. They’re developing themselves and every time you do that, you have a chance in the national team. It’s important to know that if you’re performing good, the door is always open. It’s always been like this,” he went on.

The players also expressed excitement in training again, said De Brito.

“So the players are really, really excited to join the training starting next week and our tune-up tomorrow. It’s really amazing what a win can do.”

Alas will be participating in the FIVB Challenger Cup next month where they will face Vietnam in the knockout quarterfinals.

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