Capital1 eyes best use of No. 1 pick amid Belen uncertainty

The Solar Spikers hit the jackpot when they scaled a few odds during the lottery to land the No. 1 pick, but the value of the selection is expected to go up tremendously if Bella Belen decides to stay in the Draft.

Belen leads a long list of Draft aspirants and the three-time UAAP MVP out of reigning champion National University has yet to signify her intentions of going through the selection process.

“It’s hard to put her on my mind and then have her withdraw later on,” Gorayeb told the Inquirer in Filipino through a phone call. “What I want to choose is someone who will follow and would really want to play here.”

Belen gave teams reason to have second thoughts on picking her. While she is the consensus top pick if she keeps her name in the Draft, the three-time champion has said she laughed for the draft as a contingency in case she doesn’t get decent offers from abroad.

With a 30-percent chance to grab the top pick during Monday’s lottery draw, the Solar Spikers struck gold against other struggling teams like Galeries Tower, which landed the No. 2 pick, followed by Farm Fresh and Nxled, which got the fourth pick despite having the biggest chances at going No. 1.

The Solar Spikers, who are entering their second season, got a good haul from the first Rookie proceedings, netting former La Salle opposite hitter Leila Cruz and ex-Ateneo libero Roma Mae Doromal.

But even after injecting veteran setter Iris Tolenada into its fold, Capital1 only reached seventh place in the Reinforced Conference. That was the best finish of the franchise, which secured a quarterfinal seat behind high-scoring Russian import Marina Tushova.

Finishing 11th in its two All-Filipino Conference campaigns, the weakness of the Solar Spikers is apparent: they need more firepower to aid their offense.

“We need a middle [blocker], outside hitter and many more to fix the composition of the team,” Gorayeb said as he brainstorms with the coaching staff and owners on who they will use the first pick on

“We need to really think about who we will choose. I am not after popularity because this is different from the UAAP where your opponents are only still students,” he added. “Here in the PVL, the players are quick-witted and tall so we can’t rush our decision.”

But the veteran mentor is not discrediting the caliber of Belen and the level of play she showed in the UAAP. But he made strong hints that he will be eyeing more than just talent.

“I don’t want any drama, what I want is someone who is really interested and who is thinking ‘I’ll stay here, I can help the team,’” Gorayeb said.

.The veteran coach will be paying attention to the Rookie Combine at Paco Arena on May 30 to 31, which is around the time that Belen could still forfeit her slot, before the final list of draftees is released on June 4.

“All the tough players are here so we’ll see who among the draftees will play on a higher level,” he said. “I’ll look for what they can help offensively because I am lacking outside hitters.”