Nxled seeks growth as PVL wars near
‘We need to work hard but also take care of our condition. That’s why I cannot make hard practices for Nxled players.’
Nxled sets a modest goal of seeing significant improvement from its maiden run as it braces for tough battles ahead in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Head coach Taka Minowa will not be shooting for the stars, especially in a highly competitive field, but what he wants to see is for his club to bring in the good points from the expansion squad’s debut last year and address its lapses so it could work its way up.
The Japanese mentor believes the Chameleons would be able to surpass their 4-7 win-loss record for ninth place in the season-ending 2nd All-Filipino Conference last year.
But it will all depend on one particular factor.
“Nxled, in the last conference, our serving as a team is at No. 1. If we keep improving our service there will be growth,” Minowa, who also serves as volleyball director of the Christopher Tiu-owned franchise which includes Akari.
The Chameleons were the best-serving team in the previous tournament, averaging 1.57 aces per set.
“But if our serving is not good, we will totally be the same (as the previous conference),” he added.
Nxled beefed up its roster by adding a versatile piece in Ivy Lacsina.
However, the 6-foot-2 acquisition from the disbanded F2 Logistics during the offseason would be missing the Chameleons’ first few games to recover from a minor right knee injury.
Lacsina sat out Nxled’s campaign in the 2024 Akari Invitational Cup where it salvaged a third place finish.
“We’re still maybe 50 percent ready (for the PVL). Hopefully, Ivy can play because I want to know how Ivy would play as an outside hitter. But for now, we have to start with only 12 players,” Minowa said.
The former Saitama Ageo Medics assistant coach in the Japan V.League is now focusing on ensuring that his players will be in tip-top shape with just under two weeks left before the start of hostilities.
“We need to work hard but also take care of our condition. That’s why I cannot make hard practices for Nxled players,” he said.
Skipper Dani Ravena, Jho Maraguinot, Lycha Ebon, May Luna, Chiarra Permentilla and setter Kamille Cal spearhead the Nxled core looking to make a bigger impact this time in the tournament set to begin on 20 February.