Chery Tiggo star Jaja Santiago. PVL MEDIA
Chery Tiggo will miss the services of vital cog Jaja Santiago, but coach Aaron Velez is confident the Pro Crossovers have enough power to still win the Champions Cup women’s volleyball tournament, which starts on Saturday in Lipa City, Batangas.
Santiago, the 6-foot-6 middle blocker, is the only female Filipino player serving as foreign reinforcement in the Japan V-League. She’s one of the starters for the Saitama Ageo Medics.
“Jaja is a big factor in our system. However, it’s also an opportunity for our other middle blockers like Maika Ortiz, Joy Dacoron, Rachel Austero and Elaine Kasilag to take over and excel,” said Velez. “We are aiming to be more diverse and flexible this tournament.”
With her sharp skills and intimidating size, Santiago led the franchise to a historic victory in the professionalized Premier Volleyball League (PVL) early this year.
The 25-year-old steered the Ageo Medics to a bronze-medal finish in the league, prompting Japan volleyball officials to offer her citizenship to play for the Land of the Rising Sun.
But Santiago kept her options open, saying she would like to see the Philippines win another Southeast Asian Games gold first before considering such an opportunity.
“We are excited to play again on the court and showcase our talents, hard work and team work,” said Velez who will have in his roster Santiago’s sister, Dindin Manabat. “Hopefully, we perform efficiently and grab the Champions League crown.”
But just like in the PVL Open, it won’t be an easy task for Chery Tiggo with several teams standing in the way, led by F2 Logistics which also carries championship pedigree.
Also seeing action in the closed-door tournament are Petro Gazz, Baguio City, California Precision Sports and Tuguegarao Perlas Spikers.