No pressure.
That should be the general feeling for both the Alas Pilipinas men’s and women’s teams after being bracketed with strong teams in this September’s Asian Games in Aichi, Japan.
The Filipinas were grouped with defending champion China and taller Kazakhstan at Pool B while the Filipinos were pooled with South Korea, China and Chinese Taipei at Pool D during Monday’s group draw.
Alas women, which was retooled for the second time in a few months, isn’t really tipped to contend after not making the last edition four years ago in Hangzhou, China.
It finished eighth though the last time it joined in 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
It’s different with the Alas men though as they should have more chances of finishing better if they could summon the same play they did in last year’s World Championship in Manila when it finished the second best Asian team there.
But it will depend on the availability of the Nationals’s biggest weapons — Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo.
Alas men’s coach Angiolino Frigoni will have his hands full as he seeks to eclipse the team’s 13th-place finish in Hangzhou.
To date, the grizzled Italian mentor is still honing his young wards, who are currently in the SEA V Cup in Jakarta hoping to get more experience there.