Petron, Foton parade rosters

Games Today (The Arena, San Juan City) 4 p.m. – Generika-Ayala vs Petron 6 p.m. – Cignal vs Foton

Two-time defending champion Foton and powerhouse Petron provide an early glimpse of their potential when they take on separate rivals today as the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix gets going at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Blaze Spikers, considered the prime threat to the Tornadoes’ “threepeat” bid, are leaving no stone unturned in their title conquest as they bring in former Foton import Lindsay Stalzer, American Hilary Hurley and Japanese libero Yuri Fukuda to boost their already loaded local crew.

“I think we probably have the strongest team so far, at least on paper,” said the hard-hitting Stalzer who will team up with the likes of top locals Mika Reyes, Frances Molina, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Remy Palma, Bernadeth Pons and Sisi Rondina in her fourth tour of duty in the seasonending tournament.

Whether Petron, last year’s bridesmaid, is as good as advertised will be known in its 4 p.m. showdown with Generika-Ayala, which will parade former University of Arizona standouts, Croatian Katarina Pilepic and American Penina Snuka, plus Trinidad and Tobago star Darlene Ramdin.

“The class of imports just keeps getting better. This will definitely be the toughest competition so far. But I’m looking forward to it and I’m up to the challenge,” added the 6-foot-1 Stalzer, one of the oldest — yet one of the most experienced — imports at 33.

The Tornadoes, boosted by the arrival of Serbians Sara Klisura and Katarina Vukamanovic as well as Montenegrin Dragana Perunicnic, are raring to set their title bid in motion in their 6 p.m. encounter with the Cignal HD Spikers.