Santiago rejoins Japanese squad

Chery Tiggo has thrown its full support to Jaja Santiago, who has signed up for another contract with Ageo Medics in the Japanese Volleyball League, which returns to action in October.

The 6-foot-5 middle blocker announced the development via the Crossovers’ Facebook page, saying she has agreed to a third tour of duty with Japanese club that she helped make the semifinals for the first time.

“I’m very happy because my Chery Tiggo supported me all throughout my career here and my decision to sign again for Japanese League,” Santiago said.

Santiago was set to banner the Crossovers in the Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix that started in February. But before she could suit up with the squad, the PSL season abruptly ended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s my regret that I wasn’t able to join them in Grand Prix,” Santiago said in Filipino. “But I promise next year [I will] and hopefully everything returns to normal and Philippine volleyball returns.”

Santiago was pivotal in the Medics’ sterling performance last season. She accumulated 137 attack points during the preliminaries of the J-League. She topped that percentage with 49.1-percent accuracy.

Chery Tiggo, which is under the same franchise of champion team Foton, has kept its formidable stable of players that included Santiago’s sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat, and the hard-hitting sisters Eya and EJ Laure.