–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Six games into his first pro stint as a head coach, Norman Miguel’s experiments to find out the best lineup for Chery Tiggo is so far doing great for the rebuilding Crossovers.
“It’s really like that in coaching; you will really need to shuffle your players to [find what combination] will be effective,” Miguel said after the Crossovers returned to their winning ways with a 30-28, 20-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-8 escape of Galeries Tower in the PVL All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at PhilSports Arena.
It’s not the best showcase of what Chery Tiggo has been doing since the departure of some of its main cogs and the arrival of Miguel in the offseason. But it sends off a positive message heading into the holidays as the Crossovers racked up their fourth win in six games.
“These past two weeks, we really had changes in the starting lineup, so maybe we still aren’t jibing well, but it’s still the essence that whoever doesn’t have a connection [with the others will be replaced] with someone who will connect so that we can create a good result,” Miguel said.
“Because regardless of who will perform, it will all benefit the team,” he added.
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Cess Robles, Miguel’s ward back at National University, has been shining in the lead role as she led Chery Tiggo with 21 points, all but one on attacks, apart from 11 excellent receptions and nine excellent digs.
Aby Maraño contributed 15 points, Pauline Gaston added 14 points and Shaya Adorador chipped in 13. Ara Galang, who joined hands with Maraño to stop a combined six attacks of the Highrisers at the net, scored 11 points.
Jen Nierva did her part on the defensive effort with 21 excellent digs and 10 excellent receptions as Jas Nabor tossed 13 excellent sets.
“What coach Norman said last game (a loss) stayed in my mind: The point of one is the point of everyone, then the error of one is an error of everyone, so … it was really our whole team effort [that’s helping the team rise],” Gaston said. INQ