The Chery Tiggo Crossovers have big shoes to fill with the departure of Dindin Santiago-Manabat, but Ponggay Gaston is more than willing to share good energy with the team.
No more Dindin Santiago-Manabat for Chery Tiggo? It's okay, they have Ponggay Gaston.
The opposite hitter who transferred from the Choco Mucho Flying Titans is shrugging off pressure and expectations as she joins the 2021 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference champions.
"I think I can contribute my good vibes, my good energy," Gaston told One Sports on Wednesday. "Hopefully I can influence them to work hard and to stay inspired and to always play happy."
The warm welcome was immediately felt when Gaston first met her new teammates, "They were already so excited to see me . . . I felt really welcomed here."
The Crossovers are more than happy to absorb Ponggay's positive energy. "Si Pongs napapantayan 'yung energy na binibigay ko sa loob ng court," Cza Carandang said.
"Knowing Ponggay na nandito na sa amin, isa ring universal player, pwede kahit saan," captain Mylene Paat added. "Nakita rin naman natin kung ano ang potential niya."
The Crossovers are also bringing in extra support with middle blocker Seth Rodriguez from Petro Gazz and libero Bingle Landicho from Akari.
"Sobrang energetic, magaling na bata," Paat said of Landicho. "Si Seth sa middle, matangkad and powerful."
Chery Tiggo will be looking to prove their 2021 bubble championship with sisters Jaja Santiago and Dindin Santiago-Manabat is not a fluke, after crashing to 8th place in the 2022 edition. They did improve to fourth place during the 2022 Reinforced Conference, thanks to conference MVP Mylene Paat.
Whoever they have for the All-Filipino Conference starting this February, Carandang says they're ready to make it work. "Kung ano 'yung ibigay sa amin ni Lord, iki-keep namin as a treasure," she told One Sports. "'Di sa lahat ng pagkakataon makakasama mo sila."
"Hanggang nandoon sila, gagawa kami ng magandang memories together."