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Gorayeb believes Nabor is solution to NU's woes at setter

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/02/02/nabor1-020217.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">NU setter Jasmine Nabor. Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports</div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines — National University&#x27;s difficulties when it comes to finding a setter is well documented. In Season 78 of UAAP women&#x27;s volleyball, the team rotated three setters, all of whom earned Roger Gorayeb&#x27;s ire in varying degrees.All three setters — Ivy Perez, Rica Diolan, and Jocelyn Soliven — are out of NU&#x27;s lineup for the Season 79 tournament. Instead, Gorayeb has handed the keys to the kingdom to sophomore Jasmine Nabor, who as a freshman played mostly as a utility spiker.Gorayeb is not usually known for complimenting his players. Even when he praises them, he does so with reservations. With Nabor, however, the multi-titled coach becomes almost effusive.&quot;Si Jasmine ang pinakamalaking factor sa amin,&quot; Gorayeb said ahead of the UAAP Season 79 women&#x27;s volleyball tournament.It is a loaded statement, considering that Gorayeb&#x27;s NU team still has Jaja Santiago, who at this point may be the best player in collegiate women&#x27;s volleyball. However, for the past couple of seasons, Santiago has been unable to unleash her full strength on offense, and the blame has mostly gone to NU&#x27;s rotating array of setters who, for one reason or another, have been unable to get her the ball.<ul class="op-related-articles" title="Read">	<li>READ: <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2017/01/30/nu-lady-bulldogs-less-21122">NU LADY BULLDOGS: Less is more</a></li></ul><div>-- Converted setter --</div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/02/02/gorayeb-020217.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">NU head coach Roger Gorayeb. Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports</div></figcaption></figure></div>In Nabor, Gorayeb believes he finally has the playmaker who can maximize Santiago, and who can turn their other attackers – Aiko Urdas, Jorelle Singh, and Risa Sato – into legitimate threats.&quot;Si Jaja, kahit naman dati nandiyan na &#x27;yan, pero &#x27;di gumagana,&quot; Gorayeb said. &quot;Pero ngayon, gumagana na si Jaja. Why? Because of Nabor.&quot;&quot;Napapagana niya si Jaja. Napapapalo niya lahat. Dati &#x27;din, kapag pumunta na si Jaja sa likod, wala na silang binabantayan. Ngayon, napunuan na,&quot; he stressed.Nabor started out as a setter in high school, where she first linked up with Santiago as a freshman in NU. Eventually she was moved to the utility position, the same role she played as a rookie for the Lady Bulldogs. When all three of NU&#x27;s Season 78 setters left — Perez and Soliven graduated, and Diolan transferred to University of the East — she returned to the position that she first excelled in.Gorayeb said it only took Nabor a month to understand the nitty-gritty details of the position anew.&quot;Si Jasmine kasi nagagawa niya lahat ng gusto ko — madali niyang napi-pickup . . . After one month, kuha niya na lahat — level ng bola, height ng bola, kailan gagamitin mga spiker niya,&quot; the coach revealed.Volleyball fans got a glimpse of Gorayeb&#x27;s project in the V-League, when Nabor played for the first time as a full-time setter. She showed signs of promise in the Open Conference, but it was in the Collegiate Conference that she really showed her skills.It was clear that the experiment worked: Nabor showed more chemistry with Santiago than any of NU&#x27;s previous playmakers, and her attacking instincts were still there. When given an opening, Nabor completed 1-2 plays ferociously, and despite her still thin frame, she showed solid blocking skills.Nabor didn&#x27;t win the Best Setter award that conference; the honor went to Ateneo veteran Jia Morado. However, Nabor got the bigger trophy — she piloted the Lady Bulldogs to the championship over the Lady Eagles, and was named Finals MVP.<div>-- Confident Santiago --</div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/02/02/nabor2-020217.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">NU&#x27;s Jasmine Nabor sets to a teammate during the V-League Collegiate Conference. Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports</div></figcaption></figure></div>Her experience in the Collegiate Conference worked wonders for Nabor&#x27;s confidence.&quot;Nakatulong po sa akin yun kasi parang mas naging mataas po yung tingin ko sa team ko, sa sarili ko, na kaya po naming lumaban, kaya naming makipag-sabayan sa lahat ng teams,&quot; Nabor said.Nevertheless, Nabor still hesitates when asked if she is the answer to NU&#x27;s longtime woes at the setter position. &quot;Sana po,&quot; she finally answers, after a long pause. &quot;Sana po, ako na.&quot;The one person who has no doubts about Nabor is the towering Santiago. &quot;Sobrang confident ko na si Jasmine ang setter namin,&quot; she immediately declared when asked what she thought of the younger player.Like Gorayeb, Santiago saw how Nabor was immediately able to develop chemistry with their other attackers, and not just her. And like their coach, Santiago marveled at Nabor&#x27;s ability — and willingness — to pick up instructions from their coaches and her veteran teammates.&quot;Nakikita ko kasi yung bata, mas nakikinig siya kung ano yung gusto ng spiker niya,&quot; Santiago said. &quot;Kaya niyang mag-adjust kung anong receive or anong meron na binibigay sa kanya. Tinatanggap niya naman yun.&quot;If everything works out, Gorayeb is confident that Nabor can one day reach the level of one of his best players — former Ateneo playmaker Jem Ferrer, who graduated as a three-time UAAP Best Setter.&quot;Kaya naman ni Jasmine maabot &#x27;yung mga nagagawa nila Jem Ferrer dati,&quot; Gorayeb predicted. &quot;Si Jem kasi dumating sa akin, lehitimong setter na. Si Jas kahit &#x27;di agad setter, ang dami niya ng nagagawa like pumalo, block. &#x27;Yung setting niya mabilis na napick-up.&quot;He paid Nabor an even greater compliment by comparing her attitude and work ethic to three-time UAAP MVP Alyssa Valdez, whom Gorayeb coached in her first two seasons in Ateneo.&quot;Maganda din &#x27;yung attitude niya pag tinuturuan. Parang si Alyssa noong araw. Hindi mo makikitaan &#x27;yan ng nakasimangot kahit nahihirapan na. Sige lang ng sige &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.<div>-- Pressure from Gorayeb --</div>All the praise that Nabor receives from her coach can be overwhelming, and can put additional pressure on the shoulders of a player that is just coming off her very first season.&quot;May pressure . . . kasi siyempre po, minsan, &#x27;di naman pwede na lahat maganda ang laro mo,&quot; Nabor said. &quot;Kaya baka ma-disappoint ko s&#x27;ya sa ibang games.&quot;&quot;Pero wala ding (pressure) kasi . . . mas nagiging confident ako. Mas nagiging mataas ang confidence ko sa paglalaro, kasi sobrang naa-appreciate ko ang sinasabi niya sa amin,&quot; she added.Of course, Gorayeb is still a perfectionist, and for all the commendations he has heaped on Nabor, he still sees plenty of room for improvement. Specifically, he wants his young player to develop more of an edge, and exhibit more maturity and leadership.&quot;Ang problema lang kay Jasmine, sa sobrang bait niya, nakakalimot siya na setter siya na kailangan niya dalhin niya &#x27;yung team niya,&quot; Gorayeb said.&quot;Bata pa &#x27;din kasi si Jasmine kaya feeling niya sa laro, bata pa din &#x27;siya. Ang gusto ko, &#x27;yung leadership niya at control sa spikers niya, parang senior na dapat siya,&quot; he added.Still, Nabor is well ahead of the curve in terms of her development, and she — along with Santiago — is one of the reasons for Gorayeb&#x27;s optimism in Season 79.Last year, what looked like a loaded NU team fell apart in the middle of the tournament and did not even make the Final 4. This year, Gorayeb is confident their fates are bound to be different.&quot;Medyo maganda this year. After magkaroon ng revamp noong April, iba na — &#x27;yung sistema na gusto ko na &#x27;yung nasusunod,&quot; he said. &quot;Madali ko sila naco-control. Mas maganda &#x27;yung flow ng training namin. At itong team na talaga &#x27;yung napili ko.&quot;(For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website.</a>)

MANILA, Philippines – National University's difficulties when it comes to finding a setter is well documented. In the UAAP Season 78 women's volleyball tournament, they rotated three setters, all of whom earned Roger Gorayeb's ire in varying degrees.

MANILA, Philippines – National University's difficulties when it comes to finding a setter is well documented. In the UAAP Season 78 women's volleyball tournament, they rotated three setters, all of whom earned Roger Gorayeb's ire in varying degrees.

Gorayeb believes Nabor is solution to NU's woes at setter

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Gorayeb believes Nabor is solution to NU's woes at setter

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 02, 2017 09:09 PM PHT

Read More:

UAAP

UAAP Season 79

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