GALERIES Tower is optimistic it can land a promising talent in the coming PVL rookie Draft due to this year’s proceedings loaded with elite prospects.
The Highrisers will be picking second in the June 8 event at the Novotel Hotel Araneta City.
Capital1, which had a 30 percent chance of winning the Draft lottery, will pick first, followed by Galeries Tower, Farm Fresh is next at third and Nxled at fourth.
Three-time UAAP MVP Bella Belen of reigning back-to-back champion National University banners the 60 hopefuls for the Draft.
Veteran setter Alohi Robins-Hardy, NCAA Season 97 MVP Mycah Go and UAAP stars Erin Pangilinan, Sheena Toring, Alleiah Malaluan and Chenie Tagaod are also among the big names who joined the draft.
Shannen Palec, who represented the Highrisers in the lottery, said they are ecstatic about their No. 2 selection but chose to keep their target close to their chest.
“We’re looking forward to whoever we’ll pick and we’re so much excited and can’t wait to see and to be part of her journey, a new chapter in her life,” Palec said.
Earlier this month, the Highrisers parted ways with four players—2024 PVL Reinforced Conference Best Libero Alyssa Eroa, outside spiker Jho Maraguinot, opposite hitter Roma Joy Doromal and setter Renee Mabilangan.
Eroa recently signed with the Zus Coffee Thunderbelles and will join Thea Gagate, Cloanne Mondonedo, and Jovelyn Gonzaga in the team.
Galeries Tower showed vast improvements, especially during the qualifying round of the tourney, where the Highrisers stunned the Cignal HD Spikers and advanced to the quarterfinals.
Although Galeries Tower failed to reach the semifinals, the Lerma Giron-mentored Highrisers still got praises all around for their eighth-place finish in the import-less tilt.
The Draft hopefuls will be tested in the Draft Combine set tomorrow and Saturday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
