Bella Belen is busy with her national team duties with Alas Pilipinas in the AVC Nations Cup, but she isn’t forgetting about the PVL Draft back at home.
Projected top pick Bella Belen will not be attending the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft as she’s still with Alas Pilipinas in Vietnam for the AVC Nations Cup, where they just recently improved to 2-0.
But that doesn’t mean her head isn’t in the game as she is set to find out where she'll play professional ball upon coming home.
After scoring 12 points in Alas’ win over Indonesia on Sunday afternoon, Belen said that she is excited on whoever picks her in the draft. The consensus top pick, the assumed landing spot be the Capital1 Solar Spikers who are set to pick no. 1.
[READ: Alas Pilipinas buck slow start to take down Indonesia in AVC Nations Cup]
While absent for the Draft, the three-time UAAP MVP spoke to One Sports and expressed her support for her fellow draftees — especially her teammates from NU.
“I’m very excited kung sino man pong team yung pipili sakin. So ayun, manonood po ako mamaya and susupportahan ko rin po yung other draftees, lalo na yung mga teammates ko mula sa NU and goodluck to all the draftees,” Belen said.
Despite not being included in the first six for both games with Alas so far, Belen has been proving why she is the consensus choice for the no. 1 PVL pick, showing her star quality even with limited minutes.
Among the latest additions to the Alas Pilipinas lineup, Belen prides herself in being able to help the team — especially knowing how deep the current roster is.
“Syempre, kami naman, pinaghandaan po talaga namin yung match kahit sino man yung maglaro, kahit yung mga nasa bench, kami, kasi hindi naman po kami starting six," she said.
"So ready lang kami sa mga pwedeng mangyari, and napaghandaan naman po talaga namin yung Indonesia. Alam namin na strong team sila na kahit mga bata sila, alam namin na mac-challenge kami,” added Belen, who also had eight excellent digs and five excellent receptions.
“I’m very happy kasi nagawa ng team kung ano yung pinagaralan namin and yung napagusapan naming dapat naming gawin.”
Regardless of who picks Belen, she will first have to finish up her duties with the national team before she joins her club back in Manila.
Up next for Alas Pilipinas in Pool B will be Iran on Monday, June 9.
(With reports from Mei-Lin Lozada)