Sam Cantada’s Alas Pilipinas Inclusion: Talent Is Clear, But Is She Ready? 

The inclusion of Sam Cantada in the initial 27-player pool for Alas Pilipinas is both exciting and revealing. It signals belief in her potential—but at the same time, it raises a fair question: is she truly ready for the demands of the senior national team, or is this simply an early investment in a player still in development?

There’s no denying that Cantada has the skills. In her debut season with National University, the rookie has already delivered standout performances. She opened her UAAP career with 21 points and 14 excellent receptions in a comeback win over UST, immediately showing poise under pressure. 

She followed that up with consistent scoring outings, including a 32-point explosion against UP—one of the highest single-game outputs in the season. These are not ordinary rookie numbers. These are flashes of a future star.

Her experiences backs it up. Cantada entered the collegiate ranks as a UAAP Season 87 Girls’ Volleyball MVP and is on track to be named UAAP Season 88 Rookie of the Year. On paper, that alone justifies her inclusion in the pool.

But the national team is not built on potential alone. The reality is that the Alas Pilipinas pool is filled with players who have already proven themselves at a higher level. 

Names like Angel Canino, Shaina Nitura, Shevana Laput, and Alyssa Solomon bring not just talent, but experience—UAAP championships, individual awards, and even exposure in international or professional settings. 

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Opisyal nang nabuo ang 27-player training pool ng Alas Pilipinas para sa AVC Women’s Cup sa Candon, tampok ang mga batang bituin tulad nina Sam Cantada at Zam Nolasco kasama ang iba pang top collegiate standouts.#SportsNow #DWAR1494 #AlasPilipinas #AVC #VolleyballPH #UAAP pic.twitter.com/dRTqpPPtoj

— Abante Radyo DWAR 1494 (@DWAR1494) April 27, 2026

This is where the gap becomes clear. Cantada’s game, while explosive, is still evolving. She is learning how to adjust to faster systems, more complex rotations, and higher-level decision-making—things that veterans have already mastered through years of competition. 

Even within the UAAP, there are arguments that other players, such as Angge Poyos or seasoned setter Lams Lamina offer either more consistency or experience at this stage.

That doesn’t mean Cantada doesn’t belong, it just means she isn’t fully ready yet.

In fact, her rookie season has shown both promise and areas for growth. While she has delivered big scoring nights, consistency, composure in crucial moments, and deeper understanding of the game remain aspects she needs to refine. 

Moments like her reaction to a controversial net-touch call earlier in the season sparked discussion—not because of lack of talent, but because maturity and awareness are just as important at higher levels.

Even NU’s system reflects this development phase. Surrounded by veterans like Vange Alinsug and Arah Panique, Cantada is still learning how to operate within a structured, championship-caliber team. She isn’t the finished product—she’s part of a system that’s helping shape her.

And that may be exactly why she was invited. The Alas Pilipinas pool is not the final roster. It’s a testing ground. As noted in reports, all 27 players—including Cantada—will still need to prove themselves to the coaching staff before earning a final spot. Her inclusion is less about immediate impact and more about exposure to a higher level of play.

So, is she ready? Not yet, not in the same way the established names are. But she might be close.

Cantada has the scoring ability, the confidence, and the early success that point toward a future national team mainstay. What she needs now is time—more UAAP battles, more high-pressure situations, and more refinement of her all-around game.

Because making the national team isn’t just about being good. It’s about being ready to keep up and eventually lead against the best.

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