SHE isn’t new to the Philippine volleyball scene by any means, but Khat Bell’s second coming with Chery Tiggo in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) has been nothing short of a true show of force.
At age 31, five years since her title-winning stint with the now-defunct Philippine Superliga’s (PSL) most decorated side Petron, Bell continues to defy Father Time as the third-oldest import this conference behind fellow award-winning aces in Cignal’s MJ Perez (36) and Petro Gazz’ Wilma Salas (33).
READ: Creamline turns back Chery Tiggo for back-to-back PVL wins
In her first three PVL matches, ending as two wins over Farm Fresh and Nxled and a loss to Creamline, Bell made scoring look like light work with a 25-point average to become the league’s second-leading scorer midway through Week 3 of pool play.
From a team perspective, no massive scoring output would mean anything if the results and effort weren’t there. But from an individual standpoint, a credentialed player who has played overseas in Korea, Turkey, Puerto Rico, and the US like her need not prove herself anymore.
Simply put, returning to the Philippines is no longer about making a name for herself, but rather driving Chery Tiggo back at the forefront of contention.
“It doesn’t matter. I can come out obviously and play lights out. I think I maybe had one error tonight, but we (didn't) have balance and situation on things like blocking, so it doesn’t really matter. I couldn’t care less if I even scored 10 points,” Bell said.
“When it comes to that title (best import), I think I carry that wherever I go. I was MVP in Korea, so I kind of have my own motivation. Like even though I get blocked or maybe I’m not having the best game, I’m gonna make myself remember that even if it’s a bad day, I’m still a good player.”
Winners like Bell know losing best
It goes without saying that Bell is an established serial winner in the international club volleyball scene.
But one thing that winners like her know best is actually handling the agony of defeat.
No champion was ever born without a taste of bad days and off-games. And Bell knows exactly how to deal with difficult stretches and take such reality checks on the chin.
After a stinging four-set defeat to the eight-time PVL champions, captain Bell had just the right words to keep her teammates in high spirits.
“I think I’ve had a lot of experience in my career about handling defeat. I think if you tend to dwell on it for too long, it can definitely affect you long-term," she said.
“This is my first situation seeing how the team will react to losing which isn’t as bad as it could have been. I think right now the girls are already back in high spirits.”
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