Coach Dante Alinsunurin praised Choco Mucho’s renewed depth and chemistry after the Flying Titans opened the PVL Reinforced Conference with a composed win over Capital1.
Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin was all smiles after the team's opening day win against the Capital1, 33-31, 26-24, 25-23, in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference at the Ynares Center Montalban on Tuesday.
More than the hard-fought victory, Alinsunurin was glad to finally field a complete lineup after the Flying Titans struggled with injuries in past conferences.
“Maganda ‘yung pagkapanalo namin kasi nakita namin na kapag kumpleto kami, marami kaming pwedeng gawin,” Alinsunurin said during the post-game press conference.
“Kahit nag-struggle kami sa pasa nung una, nagawa pa rin namin ng tama ‘yung gusto namin sa loob ng court. Kung sino man ‘yung pinasok, talagang nag-perform.”
After enduring a string of injury-riddled campaigns, Choco Mucho finally welcomed the return of its key players, such as Kat Tolentino, Maddie Madayag, and Dindin Santiago-Manabat.
Tolentino led the way with 15 points, while Manabat and Madayag chipped in five and four markers, respectively.
Choco Mucho fielded a near full health squad in its 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference opener against Capital1. | Photo: PVL
Alinsunurin credited the team’s composure and balance, emphasizing how much easier it is to execute their system with a deeper rotation.
“Last conference, kulang talaga kami sa tao, naghahanap kami kung sino puwedeng tumulong sa amin,” he explained.
“Ngayon, naging precious na kumpleto kami. Kahit sino ipasok, nagpe-perform talaga. Kaya sobrang ganda ng path namin this conference.”
Aside from the trio, Alinsunurin will hope to have American import Marlee Smith and Fil-Am setter Tia Andaya in the lineup for their next game.
[ALSO READ: Where are imports in 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference opener? League explains document delay]
The Flying Titans will go for back-to-back wins as they battle the Cignal HD Spikers on Monday, October 13, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.