Phillips seeks Korean stint
Top middle MJ Phillips is staying focused on Petro Gazz’s title campaign in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference while building up for an upcoming tryout in the Korean V-League.
The Reinforced Conference 1st Best Middle Blocker confirmed that she has accepted the invitation of the Korean Volleyball Federation to participate in the V-League’s Asian Quota Player tryouts, moments after the Angels clinched a spot in the gold medal series with a sweep of the PLDT High Speed Hitters in their sudden death last Thursday.
“The opportunity came about Vania Edralin. She spoke to me and she said ‘Hey, they’re looking for a (player) for the Asian Quota in the Korean League’ and I figured I’d shoot my shot,” Phillips said.
She stressed that she has the full support of her Petro Gazz family as she aims to track down a new path in her career.
‘I’m looking forward to high level volleyball.’
The former Sta. Lucia ace middle blocker also said that she is looking forward to testing her skills against Korea’s top-flight talents.
“They supported me all the way. Of course, I asked the management because there’s a possibility that it’ll come in the middle of the season, so they were just so proud of me and they encouraged me to try out internationally,” Phillips said.
“I’m looking forward to high level volleyball. Not to say that this isn’t, I’m just saying that Korea is just on a different level and I just want to see how my skills level up to that.”
Phillips finished with a game-high 15 points on 11 attacks and four kill blocks to spearhead the Angels’ 25-17, 25-23, 25-15, Game Three win over PLDT at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Petro Gazz is set to take on Creamline for the fourth time in the PVL finals starting Sunday.
Meanwhile, aside from Phillips, also invited to be part of the women’s pool are Akari’s Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Mylene Paat of Chery Tiggo, Creamline’s Jia de Guzman, and the F2 Logistics duo of Majoy Baron and Iris Tolenada.
Over in the men’s side, Cignal’s Marck Espejo, JP Bugaoan, and Manuel Sumanguid III have been invited to the tryout, along with Jau Umandal of AMC-Cotabato.