By Jimwell Kenneth Tanay
Since their inclusion in the Bicol Universities and Colleges Athletic League (BUCAL) in 2019, the Bicol University (BU) Wolves, BU men’s volleyball team, is the only team to push the dominant Naga College Foundation (NCF) Tigers on their edge.
In season 4, they toppled NCF in a cardiac five-setter match in the elimination round and were four points away from snatching the top plum in season 3.
Just last weekend, the Wolves buried fatal claws on the Tigers’ skin again in the best-of-three Finals of BUCAL Season 5, stealing a set in the first game, 1-3, and extending two sets in the second one, 24-26, 23-25, and 24-26 before settling for silver.
Yet, with what has bloomed as rivalry between these two teams, one storyline has always been the same: the Wolves were always, almost but never, the top dog.
Why can’t the Wolves snatch a crown against the Tigers?
“Ang nakikita ko lang kasi na mali is kulang ‘yung ensayo namin or training samantalang sa kanila [NCF] is year-round talaga,” Francisco “Kiko” Serrano, head coach, said.
Serrano added that while he wants to cement a competitive program for his team, conflicts of schedules impede the team’s chemistry building.
“Lack of experience ang mga bata in terms sa tournament na sinasalihan. Kasi mostly na nilalaruan nila is yung mga ODL lang or One Day League lang na minsan magkakalaban pa sila kaya ‘yung chemistry namin sa panapos ay kulang talaga,” he reasoned.
Senior setter Kent Centeno also stressed that NCF’s quality of preparation sets the Tigers apart from them.
“They [the NCF Tigers] are fully supported by their school and conduct training sessions in the morning and afternoon. On the other hand, we have different class schedules, and we have to meet at a certain time when everyone is free to train. Skill-wise, we can compete with them. It's just that they come in more prepared than us,” Centeno stated.
Serrano seconded Centeno, also stating the importance of incentives.
“Kaya mahirap talaga sila makalaban. Mayroon silang allowance na makakaboost ng morale ng mga player at any other na makakaoffer sa player. Wala kami niyan since ako lang mag isa. Nakakapagtraining lang kami pag libre 'yung mga bata, [‘pag] walang pasok. Kami na lang nagfafacilitate ng mga gagawin nila,” Serrano revealed.
Relatively, freshman opposite spiker Adrian Alamo further shared other challenges they faced before BUCAL Season 5.
“Malaki yung challenges na kinaharap namin habang at bago ‘yung BUCAL Season 5. Isa na dun ‘yung budget talaga. ‘Di namin alam kung saan kami kukuha ng budget lalo walang budget ‘yung BU. Sa transpo [transportation] lang ‘yung na provide nila,” Alamo expressed.
Coach Serrano also added that their sports coordinator aided them with their registration fee while his athletes had to solicit extra money for their jerseys. Also, their alumni had to shoulder their food expenses throughout the season.
Nonetheless, Alamo is still indebted to all of their sponsors, while coach Serrano acknowledges the limited support BU can provide to his team since it is a “state university,” as per him.
Somehow, amid insufficiencies, the Wolves' latest performance against NCF provides a peek at the team’s future in the hands of their blue-chip reinforcements, Marcial Nerva and Adrian Alamo.
Adrian Alamo, a standout from the University of Nueva Caceres, clinched the Best Opposite Spiker for BU in his first year, exploding with 17 points from 15 attacks, 1 block, and an ace in the entire Finals series.
“‘Di ko talaga inaasahang ako ‘yung isa sa first six kasi nga baguhan lang naman ako. Umaasa talaga ako na second six lang ako, and I accept that kase mas priority ni coach Kiko ‘yung seniors. Then nabigla din ako kase nakapasok kaagad ako syempre napakalaking responsibidad ‘yun sa’kin,” Alamo shared.
Nerva, on the other hand, was one of the Wolves’ thorns back then. Nerva manned NCF’s floor defense in BUCAL Season 3 and became an internet sensation with her highlight digs and receptions.
When asked why she abandoned NCF’s established volleyball program, she revealed that BU is her dream school, and playing against her former and highly decorated team is a new yet exciting chapter of her career.
“Siyempre nandoon ‘yung mga dati kong teammates na naturingan kong kapatid at pamilya, and never po mawawala sa’kin na dahil sa mga coaches ko from NCF, kaya ako ganito. Marami din po akong natutunan sa kanila,” she said.
When asked to expound on her answer, Nerva playfully responded.
“Ayaw ko nang makialam sa buhay nila [former team],” she added.
Nerva tallied 12 excellent receptions and 20 excellent digs versus NCF in the series.
Now, another hurdle looms in the Wolves’ den as eight seniors will soon leave the pack. Two of them are pillars of the team: setter and former captain Kent Centeno and wing spiker Ronald San Miguel.
Centeno recognizes the major adjustments the Wolves need to address, yet he also looks forward to seeing the team sharpen a new set of teeth and claws in their future tournaments.
“We all have the same skills, and it's just that kami, mga seniors, ay mas experienced kaysa sa iba. Pero the team has promising young players, and I think they will just need more proper training and tournaments to join for them to develop their chemistry, composure on court, and eagerness to win,” Centeno said.
But despite this pressing threat, Serrano might just have forged the incoming alpha of the pack in Atilla Imperial.
Imperial towered the season to seal the 2nd Best Middle Blocker award and dropped 23 big points in games one and two of the championship series combined.
“I can now see myself leading the team. Dahil sa mga taon na paglalaro ko ay nabuo na sa’kin ang leadership in and out of [the] court at dahil na rin sa tulong ng coaches and seniors namin,” Imperial assured.
As of the moment, Coach Serrano is back to his drawing board to mitigate the pending key losses.
“Magkakaroon talaga kami ng major rebuilding since ‘yung mga core players namin ay gragraduate na. Sa ngayon hindi pa fully prepared ang BU MVT. Magkakaroon pa kami ng tryout sa mga gustong pumasok ng BU, ‘yung mga nag exam [sa BUCET],” he shared.
Moreover, Centeno has one last plea before his exit.
“Hopefully, in future tournaments, we can have full support from our institution so that we can focus only on our training and games, and not worry about other things,” he concluded.
From being the only apex predator to wound the Tigers in previous years, with their key losses and exposed pre-season challenges, the pack is left with pups yet to sharpen their arsenal. Compared to the last three seasons, the upcoming sixth season is a thicker hump to overcome for the Wolves.
From here on, in their pursuit of maintaining their names just next to NCF, the Wolves have to claw their way past two major hurdles: pre-season insufficiencies and the dare to rebuild immediately as BUCAL Season Six draws near.
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