Bring them on

Back in the Asian Games for the first time in 36 years, the Philippine Women’s volleyball team is itching to take on all of the region’s heavyweights early to see exactly where it stands.

Team Philippines wants to be bracketed with the likes of China, South Korea and Japan when the draw happens in the coming weeks.

“Let’s bring on the strongest teams right away, so we know where we stand,” Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas (LVPI) acting president Peter Cayco said on Thursday night after revealing the country’s Fighting 12 for the Games set Aug. 18-Sept. 2 in Indonesia.

“We are not scared of Korea or China, they should be scared of us,” Cayco added after naming the popular Alyssa Valdez, Ces Molina, Cha Cruz-Behag, Dindin Manabat, Aby Maraño, Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes, Jaja Santiago, Kim Kianna Dy, Kim Fajardo, Jia Morado and Dawn Macandili to the team.

The volleyball event starts a day after the opening ceremonies and the Filipinos will be seeking to improve on a fifth place finish in 1982 before the country took a long hiatus.

Cayco made the announcement of the final lineup along with LVPI head Joey Romasanta and head coach Shaq delos Santos.

The LVPI started with a 20-player pool before coming up with the final roster and named Rhea Dimaculangan and Denden Lazaro as reserves.

Completing the pool are Myla Pablo, Myleen Paat, Maika Ortiz, CJ Rosario, Rebecca Rivera and Mar-Jana Phillips.

Clashing with the best teams in Asia, Cayco believes, will also give the team an idea on how the country will fare next year when it hosts the Southeast Asian Games.

Romasanta bared a busy schedule for the team, which will campaign in the Asian Cup in Thailand immediately after the Games in Palembang.

A two-week training camp in Japan is up for the Nationals.