Bea de Leon, the no-nonsense middle blocker from Ateneo, recalls the times she came face to face with towering Jaja Santiago, the dominant National University leader.
From across the UAAP net, De Leon said she would jokingly ask the 6-foot-4 Santiago to let her block her for once.
“Sige na, Jaja, pa-isa block lang (Come on, Jaja, let me block you one time),” said the 5’11” De Leon. “Now am not gonna be blocking her, thank God, because it’s really, really hard.”
On a rainy Saturday evening in a coffee shop in Manila, the 21-year-old De Leon was presented as the “third tower” of the Foton Tornadoes—joining Santiago and sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat—starting with the Philippine Superliga Invitationals on June 23.
“In deciding what team to join, De Leon said she studied the line-up of Foton and its potential.
Foton president Rommel Sytin welcomed De Leon.
In the Premier Volleyball League late Saturday, Pocari-Air Force oulasted PetroGazz, 18-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-21, to force a three-way tie for the lead in the quarterfinal round.