Chery bombs
CROSSOVERS RULE RECRUITMENT WARS
Chery Tiggo has always been synonymous to Grand Prix success.
The squad, which used to be known as Foton Tornadoes, joined the league few weeks before the 2014 Grand Prix with the Russian pair of Elena Tarasova and Irina Tarasova as imports.
They finished last in the six-team field with Petron, bannered by the powerful pair of Alaina Bergsma of United States and Erica Adachi of Brazil, emerging victorious.
The following year, a small miracle happened.
The Crossovers trooped back to drawing board and carefully plotted how they can conquer the Grand Prix title.
Headed by United Asia Automotive Group Inc. president Rommel Sytin, the management gave the coaches the marching order to tap the best
foreign player available.
The quest for title netted the Crossovers Lindsay Stalzer and Katie Messing, two American players who are capable of leading them to glory.
Picking Stalzer was a no-brainer. The comely Illinois star just came from leading Cignal to a strong run the previous year, prompting the Crossovers to tap her as their reinforcement against a solid crop of imports composed of Adachi, former University of California Los Angeles star Bojana Todorovic of Philips Gold and former Portland smasher Ariel Usher of Cignal, who would join them the following year.
The Crossovers won the crown and developed a strong winning culture in the import-flavored conference.
Stalzer made a return and joined Usher to form a dangerous two-headed monster at the attack zone.
With Jaja Santiago, Sisi Rondina, Maika Ortiz, EJ Laure and Dindin Manabat doing damage, Stalzer provided leadership while Usher dished all the intangibles to propel the Crossovers to the title.
With that, they punched a ticket to the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship where they sought the help of Aby Maraño, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Rachel Anne Daquis and Jen Reyes.
The Crossovers didn’t win a title since then, but they always make sure that they are very competitive year in and year out.
Sara Klisura of Serbia arrived and dropped 41 points with Katarina Vukamanovic as partner while Channon
Thompson lived up to her moniker as “The Cannon” when she bombed her way to a dominant performance as a late replacement.
This year, the Crossovers recruited Tatjana Bokan, a powerful Montenegrin import that can carry the team on her shoulders.
In fact, she was so prolific and her leadership was so strong that Chery Tiggo named her as team captain for this edition of the Grand Prix.
And it seems that she is good as advertised.
In her debut game for the Crossovers, she fired 33 points while displaying a brilliant allaround performance to carry her side to a four-set win.
Then, she fired 35 points built on 30 kills and five aces as the Crossovers survived the prowess of former French national team player Maeva Orle, who erupted for 50 points, en route to a heart-stopping five-set win.
After the match, head coach Aaron Velez admitted that it was one of the best offensive displays he had ever witnessed in his young coaching career.
“She (Bokan) was simply impressive. She’s probably one of the best imports I have ever seen,” Velez said.
Unfortunately, Velez and the Crossovers would no longer see Bokan’s offensive brilliance — at least this year — after the league was hammered by novel coronavirus. But it was okay.
The most important thing is that Bokan’s arrival elevated the Crossovers once more and cemented their status as the best team when it comes to import recruitment.
She (Bokan) was simply impressive. She’s probably one of the best imports I have ever seen The Crossovers won the crown and developed a strong winning culture in the import-flavored conference