New Crossovers coach faces acid test
Veteran mentor Kungfu Reyes’ system and tactics will be put under the microscope when new-look Chery Tiggo takes a crack at claiming the crown in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League opening on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Reyes is taking over the Crossovers coaching reins from Aaron Velez, who is now focused on managing the club, as the squad gears up for the coming Premier Volleyball League wars.
“Coach Kungfu will be our head coach for the coming (PVL All-Filipino) conference,” Velez told DAILY TRIBUNE.
Reyes, who serves as University of Santo Tomas women’s team mentor, will have a chance to gauge where Chery Tiggo is at in its preparation for the PVL season-opening tournament slated to begin on 20 February.
The Crossovers will also get a peek at other rival clubs in the short but competitive annual tilt of the country’s volleyball governing body.
‘We also want to see the chemistry of the team since we have new players coming in.’
“We joined the tournament because this serves as a pre-season tournament for us. Aside from looking at where we are right now as a team, we’ll also get a chance to measure up with our opponents in the PVL,” Reyes said.
Chery Tiggo, which last ruled the PVL back in the 2021 Open Conference, battles other pro clubs Cignal and Petro Gazz along with Philippine Army and defending champion College of Saint Benilde in the weeklong competition.
The tournament will also see veteran recruits Ara Galang and Aby Marano officially don the Crossovers jersey after transferring to the club following the disbandment of F2 Logistics December last year.
Mainstays Mylene Paat, sisters EJ and Eya Laure, Shaya Adorador, Ces Robles, playmakers Alina Bicar and Jasmine Nabor, Jen Nierva and Cza Carandang return to backstop the Crossovers.
“We also want to see the chemistry of the team since we have new players coming in,” he said.
Chery Tiggo opens its campaign on Sunday against Cignal before taking a one-day break. The Crossovers return to action Tuesday in a showdown with Saint Benilde, Petro Gazz on the following day before wrapping up the elims against Army.
The Top Four teams will advance into the knockout semifinal where the survivors will duke it out in the winner-take-all championship.