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The Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix (Women’s Division) Primer #3: The Imports (Part 1)

Let me be honest with you for a bit.

I haven’t really followed international volleyball as much as most of you have, so while a lot of people have been raving about the imports that will be seeing action in the upcoming Philippine Super Liga (PSL) Grand Prix, I’ve been mum. But thanks to the power of the internet and the league office, I’m now armed with much data about these foreign celebrities and—for those who have also been confined to local volleyball, like myself—now I can say that I’m beginning to share the ecstacism (I know there’s no such word, so sue me) of those who have that edge on social media.

The six participating teams in the Women’s Division will parade two foreign reinforcements each and while we have been used to seeing mostly players from Thailand grace our shores in the many editions of the Shakey’s V-League, we suddenly have only four of them who will be seeing action in the PSL GP; three of whom we’ve already experienced.

Many of you are still looking for the usual Thai stalwarts such as Jaroensri Bualee, Utaiwan Kaensing, Pheenok Kesinee and, of course, the deadly duo that helped Cagayan Valley cruise to a record-setting 16-0 perfect season in the recently concluded Shakey’s V-League Open Conference in Kannika Thipachot and Phomla Soraya.

Let’s address that.

The Rising Suns’ Thai duo are still university students in Bangkok (Thipachot, 20 and Soraya, 21) and since they follow the international school calendar, their school year begins in September. Kesinee—who returned to Manila speaking impeccable English—is back in Australia campaigning in the professional circuit there. Utaiwan is also playing in the Thai professional leagues while Bualee, 30, has not been approached by any team—including Roger Gorayeb’s PLDT squad.

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It sort of makes sense, the influx of many Thai players has now made teams looking for foreign reinforcements seek younger, more versatile players. I’m not saying that Bualee is over the hill by any means, but now there are more options.

So then you ask the question: why is Cagayan Valley using a 36-year-old as one of its imports in the PSL?

Quite frankly—for those who are not in the know—Patcharee Sangmuang actually visited the Philippines last July not as a player, but as a vacationer. She is in a relationship with the son of Rising Suns Head Coach Nes Pamilar and has in fact frequented the country since the pair became a couple. She resides at the Pamilar residence and it looks like she may be looking at a more permanent stay in the Philippines. And while the teams that fielded foreigners during the recently concluded Shakey’s V-League Open went to great lengths to find suitable accommodations for their guests, Cagayan Valley had no such problem as Sangmuang, Thipachot and Soraya all shared a room at the Pamilar residence. That must be a big house.

But let’s kick off our imports dissection with the Rising Suns.

Sangmuang was the former captain of the Thai national team. She’s listed at 5’11” but looks to be taller than six feet due to her enormous wingspan. She’s adept in both offense and defense and can still play multiple positions. Many people don’t even know she’s above thirty years of age. Her unquestionable experience—and the convenience of being a probable daughter-in-law—made her selection to join Cagayan Valley’s PSL roster a no-brainer.

She’ll be paired up with Wanida Kotruang, who is also no stranger to volleyball fans despite only showing up for Smart-Maynilad in the tail-end of their campaign.

Kotruang, 23, was one of the former stars of the Thai national youth team and has been playing in the club level for years—even while she was still a student at Nakhor Ratchasima. She had a few shaky episodes playing alongside Kesinee in the Shakey’s V-League Open, but she is an excellent defender who often traded her offense to help out in floor patrolling.

With the acquisition of super libero Jen Reyes and the known defensive skills of skipper Angge Tabaquero, the Rising Suns have now become a solid floor defense squad. Sangmuang will join Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Pau Soriano in a vaunted frontline that could lead the league in points when it’s all said and done. The biggest advantage the Thai pair has for Cagayan Valley is familiarity with the opposition and that bodes well for their title quest.

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Another Thai import making another sortie in the country is Sontaya Keawbundit of newbie RC Cola.

Keawbundit saw action briefly for Ateneo as a teenager in 2010 and has gone on to be a fixture in the Thai club scene, playing on five teams over the last four years. She has developed into a deadly outside hitter and has become part of the Thai national team over the last two years, seeing action in the FIVB Grand Prix in 2012 and 2013 as well as the 2012 Asian Cup where Thailand attained the gold medal. All her recent success overshadows the fact that she’s only 22.

She will be working with China’s Zhang Minghua, another veteran of the Chinese circuit. Zhang has the unique distinction of being not only the chief spiker of her club in her hometown of Hebei, but was also was their secondary setter, which could be a big help to RC Cola’s lone legit local setter in Carmela Garbin, a former DLSU varsity player. Zhang is listed as 6’2” and looked a lot taller than that when I met her during the PSL Fan Night (which I will write about after this).

Heading over now to the Petron Blaze Spikers, we see they have attained the services of two Japanese pro league veterans in 5’9” setter Misao Tanyama and 5’7” lefty utility spiker Shinako Tanaka.

Both carry tremendous upside for Head Coach Vilet Ponce de Leon who has to contend with the departure of most her UST alums. Among her locals, only former Ateneo captain Karla Bello is a bonfide setter on the squad. Bello was a reserve in her two appearances this year on the court—to Rhea Dimaculangan in the PSL Invitational and to April Jose (now with Cagayan Valley) in the Shakey’s V-League Open for Meralco. Although I’m pretty sure Bello still brings it as a setter, the experience the 35-year-old Tanyama can bring to the forefront for the Blaze Spikers could be crucial. She’s won the MVP plum in two COUNTRIES already; snaring one in Japan and one in Mongolia. Plus, she’s 5’9”. Also, believe me when I say she didn’t look like she was 35 when I saw her. She looked more like 25. Maybe she is 25. Maybe the biosheet is wrong. Oh well.

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As for the 38-year-old Tanaka, she’s the oldest import in the league.

Tanaka is a beach volleyball specialist who helped Japan capture the silver medal in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. She’ll be rotating with either Dzi Gervacio and Kara Acevedo in that opposite hitter slot.

To be continued...

Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate) and email sportztackle@yahoo.com