The ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles have tapped the services of Kurashiki Ablaze hitter Asaka Tamaru for the upcoming 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Asaka Tamaru is poised to once again set the Premier Volleyball League ablaze as she suits up for ZUS Coffee in the upcoming 2024 Reinforced Conference.
Thunderbelles head coach Jerry Yee shared the addition of the Japanese import during the tourney's inaugural Draft Combine at Gameville Ballpark in Mandaluyong.
“Nakita kong maglaro sa Japan, puwede. When I complimented her that she was strong, she said that she was still at 50 percent. Okay kami with her and the new girls, along with the new chance to be here,” Yee said.
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Tamaru is no stranger to Philippine volleyball.
The 5-foot-7 opposite hitter helped steer the championship conquest of the Kurashiki Ablaze in the 2023 Invitational Conference, where she emerged as the First Best Open Spiker.
Tamaru then became part of Yee’s coaching staff at Farm Fresh in the All-Filipino Conference and for the University of the East in the UAAP this year.
The 25-year-old reinforcement is expected to bring firepower and defensive stability to the Thunderbelles, who will parade a youth-laden roster that includes College of St. Benilde standouts Cloanne Mondoñedo, Gayle Pascual, Jade Gentapa and Mich Gamit.
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“Confident kami sa training program [and] sa sipag na nandito kami. 'Yung result, hindi naman namin hawak pero excited kami and gusto na naming magsimula,” Yee said.