National University star Bella Belen has her sights set on a triumphant ending to her storied career in Jhocson.
When UAAP Season 87 tips off this February 15, it will mark the final year of National University stalwart Bella Belen in the amateur ranks.
As it stands, Belen is already the UAAP’s first-ever Rookie of the Year-MVP in the women’s volleyball tournament and is a two-time champion with the Lady Bulldogs — not to mention, there’s her equally accomplished juniors’ career with Nazareth School-NU.
But for everything she’s achieved, Belen hopes to accomplish one more thing in Jhocson: a title repeat in the UAAP Women’s Volleyball Tournament. Her Lady Bulldogs had a shot in Season 85, only to be dethroned by the redemption-seeking DLSU Lady Spikers led by Angel Canino.
“Sobrang excited ako to play ngayon kasi this is my final year na nga with NU, and syempre gusto namin mag back-to-back kasi hindi namin siya nagawa noong Season 85,” Belen said during the UAAP Season 87 collegiate volleyball press conference on Thursday.
“So ngayon mas iba ‘yung mindset ng team kasi mas mahirap mag-defend ng crown kaysa umagaw ng crown. Sabi namin sa sarili namin, dapat ready kami sa mga challenge na pwede i-harap samin ng bawa’t team and ano ‘yung mga challenge na pwede namin harapin sa team.”
Belen’s last dance will coincide with Sherwin Meneses’ return to the UAAP, who will bring his winning formula with Creamline to Jhocson. While it’s the third-straight coaching change for NU, the 22-year-old knows they will benefit from a title-winning system in the long run.
In fact, the Lady Bulldogs have played in tune-up games with the Cool Smashers, who showed them what a perfect execution of Meneses’ system looks like.
“Yung sistema ni Coach Sherwin parang 100 percent na na-adapt ng Creamline, so kami paunting-unti namin siya pinupulido and pag nakikita namin siya ng Creamline, na-aamaze pa rin kami kasi parang may chance na pwede kami maging ganon kaganda ang galaw pag pinatuloy namin ‘yung pagmaster doon sa system ni Coach Sherwin,” Belen explained.
As early as now, Belen has experienced how Meneses’ system “simplifies” the game of volleyball, even for a championship-winning team like the Lady Bulldogs.
“Kumbaga madali na siya pero at the same time namulat pa kami na parang, ay! May pwede pa palang ikadali na hindi komplikado lahat ng bagay, na sa sobrang simple pwedeng ma-achieve ‘yung gusto ma-achieve,” she said.
No slowing down
Bella Belen and the NU Lady Bulldogs will open their UAAP Season 87 campaign with an acid test against Canino and the DLSU Lady Spikers. Like her earlier point, the two-time MVP knows that pressure will now be on them to maintain their status as the UAAP’s top dogs.
After a triumphant title run in Season 86, it’s now up to Belen and the Lady Bulldogs to unlock a higher gear in their Season 87 repeat bid.
“Sabi ko nga lagi sa kanila na hindi dapat mag-improve agad, basta every training alam mo na nag-improve ka ng one percent and at the end of the day, nakapag-improve ka kahit papaano and pagdating na ng UAAP ‘yun na ‘yung pulido ‘yung galaw mo and maayos na ‘yung sistema ng team,” Belen said.
But while the path wont be easy, Belen and the rest of NU will have their longtime bonds to lean on, having played together since their juniors’ days in Nazareth School. As is, this high-level chemistry is already easing their transition into another new coach in Meneses, Belen said.
“Syempre hindi kami masyadong nahihirapan, kasi ‘yun nga kasama ko na since high school ‘yung karamihan sa teammates ko and isa siguro siya sa mga key factors ng team namin,” Belen explained. “There was a time na break namin, Christmas break na halos two weeks or three weeks, then pagbalik namin sa training hindi kami nahihirapan.”
“Siguro isang bagay na nakakapagpadali samin is ‘yung chemistry namin, kilala namin ‘yung bawa’t isa, alam namin kung paano susuyuin ‘yung isa, kung kailan ‘yung isa wala sa mood, parang ganon. Parang family na ‘yung tingin namin sa isa’t isa,” said Belen, who has played with the likes of Alyssa Solomon, Lams Lamina and Sheena Toring since high school.
Banner images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.