AFTER 10 years as a member of the national team and after watching the current one advance to the semifinal of the AVC Challenge Cup, Jaja Santiago made a bold prediction: This Alas Pilipinas team has the talent to go all the way.
Santiago, one of the best volleyball players the country has produced and who is currently being wooed by Japan by offering her citizenship so she would qualify as a member of its national team, has been watching the tournament with keen interest.
And she likes what she is seeing.
READ Four qualities that set Alas Pilipinas apart from past PH teams
She has been a source of inspiration for the national team and she in turn has been providing the players valuable tips in their campaign, which so far has produced four straight wins for a sweep of its group eliminations that earned it a trip to the semifinals.
The team will face Kazakhstan in the semifinals on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum at 7 p.m. Vietnam will play Australia in the other semis. The winners play for the championship.
“I think they can be the champions here in the AVC.” Santiago said when asked about the prospects of the young national team which has reached its highest spot in a continental game.
Santiago believes this could be the start of something big for Philippine volleyball, one which could make it aim higher and dream bigger.
“Ang wish ko is that this team will continue (for the long term). We really have a big potential na eventually, we'll be in (competitions like) VNL (Volleyball Nations League) or in the Olympics,” Santiago said.
Santiago was part of three national teams that finished fourth twice (Malaysia 2019 and Vietnam 2021) and fifth once (Singapore 2015) as part of the star-studded ‘Amihan’ side in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, as well as the eight-ranked Philippine team in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
READ: Cherry Nunag paves way to success outside UAAP, NCAA
And now, two years into her post-Philippine team career and moving onwards to bigger challenges, she is seeing a Philippine team with a growth potential so big that she can say it is capable of making history.
“I think this is the (Philippine team) with the youngest players. Kahit bata, makikita mo, like (Angel) Canino, kahit sabihin natin na this is her first time, and (Thea) Gagate, first time to play in the national team, you can see their willingness to deliver really well,” said Santiago.
From a semifinals breakthrough in the continental showpiece to a five-place jump to No. 57 in the FIVB women’s volleyball world rankings, Santiago couldn’t help but be proud of the achievement of Alas in such short a time.
“Sobrang nakaka-proud kasi before, we're just trying to go up and we're trying to qualify in other leagues, but this time, we can see the improvement and how the girls are really working hard to win every game."
She also cited the incredible support the team is getting such as the one last Sunday when fans filled the Rizal Memorial Coliseum despite day-long rains that flooded many parts of Metro Manila.
“Nakaka-proud rin at nakakataba ng puso na makita lahat ng tao dito sa (Rizal Memorial Coliseum) na sinusuportahan nila (‘yung national team natin) and I think that's one of the reasons also kaya nagde-deliver and nagpe-perform nang maayos ‘yung Alas Pilipinas,” Santiago said.
‘Quad Aces' for Alas
“Everyone is palaban and makikita mo sa lahat na they're really willing to give their best and puso to win every game. Nakikita ko ngayon sa lineup na kahit ipasok, (may character sila na) 'I will deliver.’ ‘Yun yung magandang characteristic ng mga players ngayon.
“In a short period of time, their connection is really strong immediately. And I think one of the reasons also (is how) Jia (de Guzman) leads the team really well. That's one of the good things now na meron nagli-lead sa kanila sa loob ng court and (they) really follow.”
Santiago added: “I think (Alas Pilipinas) will be even stronger because itong start nila, maganda na ‘yung pinakita nila. Going to the semifinals, the connection (of the team) will be stronger."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
