CHERY Tiggo’s foreign guest import Khat Bell knows a thing or two about Philippine volleyball after a three-year stint in the now-defunct Philippine Superliga (PSL) with the Petron Blaze Spikers.
And winning two championships and a best outside hitter nod are more than enough proof of how ingrained she was in the Philippine volleyball scene.
But for the first time in four years, Bell returns to local shores to put everyone on notice that the Crossovers are primed to end their three-year title drought.
READ: Chery Tiggo routs Farm Fresh in impressive PVL opener
It also didn’t take long for the former American national team ace to find her groove as Bell’s 23-point performance on opening day steered Chery Tiggo to a quick sweep over Farm Fresh.
She might not have plenty of games to draw a comparison just yet, but based on her PVL debut, Philippine volleyball has taken quite a turn for the better since the last time she played here.
In fact, Bell points out two major changes which led to such a continuous rise: a solitary pro league and the dispersal of top talents across the 12 teams.
“(Philippine volleyball) is a lot faster. It’s a product of merging all the leagues together and all the teams together and the girls are getting spread out amongst other teams so there’s a lot more competitiveness for sure,” Bell said.
“The game is faster, and the defense, as I’ve said, the liberos, their (level of) play in this league right now is amazing.”
Some things still ring a Bell
Even with significant changes in terms of the level of play and maturity of the playing field, Bell is determined to carry the same winning approach and the strong on-court presence she was known for in her PSL stint.
And being a champion player in the Philippines won’t lull her into complacency as she takes her talents to the PVL.
“I’m coming with the same mentality, same mindset. It’s been amazing to come back and the hospitality has been unreal. You know, Chery Tiggo has taken such good care of me, making sure I feel at home and being able to come here and be able to get into dynamic with the team really quickly, they’ve made it so easy for me, actually," she shared.
“Four years and I think everyone’s game has developed and changed as well with experience. So it’s all about just coming in, just being humble and making sure I do my due diligence as a player and looking out for my opponents, for sure.”
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