Imus-ITP's Hero Austria will continue to play for the rest of the 2023 Spikers Turf Open Conference despite his inclusion as a reserve player in Perpetual Help's roster for the upcoming NCAA men's volleyball tournament.
This is welcome news for Imus, who recently lost another key player in Louie Ramirez, who will now focus on the NCAA Season 98 campaign.
AJAA Spikers head coach Sammy Acaylar made the announcement after their recent win against Vanguard, which marked the second consecutive game that Ramirez did not play. According to Acaylar, the Sports Athletics Coordinator informed him that Ramirez would no longer be able to play in the Spikers' Turf due to his attendance at the NCAA eligibility meeting on February 11.
"Hero can play sa Spikers' Turf kasi he is a reserve sa Perpetual, si Louie lang talaga ang hindi pwede," Acaylar said.
Austria's continued participation in the Spikers' Turf is a big boost for Imus, who can still rely on his skills and experience in the upcoming games. With Ramirez out, Austria's contribution to the team will be crucial as they try to make a run for the Spikers' Turf Open Conference title.
Despite the loss of Ramirez, Acaylar remains positive and confident about the team's chances. In fact, he revealed that Ramirez still helped the Altas during their scrimmages in practice by serving as an opponent. Acaylar used Ramirez's skills as an open spiker to develop other players on the team.
"During our scrimmage, actually hindi ko na siya ginagamit. Ginamit ko na siya as kalaban para at least, syempre you know Louie malaking tulong sa amin so gumagawa kami ng set play na si Louie nasa kabila para madevelop yung iba kong players," Acaylar shared.
The Spikers' Turf Open Conference is shaping up to be an exciting tournament to watch, with many surprises in store for volleyball enthusiasts. Imus-ITP, with the leadership of Acaylar and the remaining players on the team, still has a chance to succeed and make a name for themselves in the volleyball scene.
