The two cagers Espejo and Bagunas will miss the tourney as both have prior commitments to Japan V. League where they play FC Tokyo and Oita Miyoshi, respectively.

Nevertheless, coach Alinsunurin is confident in the team he put together.

“Siyempre solid pa naman ‘yung team namin, although wala si Bryan at Marck,” he said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

“‘Yung mga naiwan pa naman dito, nakita naman ninyo ‘yung laro nila. And kailangan lang naming magtrabaho talaga for this tournament, and mapakita nila na mas maging malalim ‘yung bench namin pagdating sa international competition,” he added.

The team is also conducting twice-a-day training sessions and with such preparations, coach Alinsunurin averred that the void of Espejo and Bagunas will be filled out by veteran Mark Alfafara and young guns Joshua Umandal and Nico Almendras.

“‘Yun siguro ‘yung mga magpupuno ng posisyon nila Marck and Bryan,” he said.

“Kahit naman wala si Bryan and Marck, tuloy-tuloy pa rin naman ang ginagawa namin, pag-angat ng team namin. Sa sitwasyon namin ngayon, kailangan talaga naming magsama-sama, mag-usap sa bawat galaw namin.”

The AVC is set to happen from October 8 to15 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.