Aby Maraño is looking forward to the much-anticipated comeback of Mylene Paat, the 2022 PVL Reinforced Conference MVP, who is set to bolster the revamped Chery Tiggo EV Crossovers.
The Crossovers, led by Maraño, impressed in the preseason with a runner-up finish in the PVL on Tour and fourth place in the Invitational.
But what excites the Chery Tiggo captain most is the return of her best friend and fellow former national team standout.
‘She’s coming back. But that’s not really my story to tell. I’m just proud of her. Seeing the results of her recovery journey is amazing,’ Maraño told the reporters in Filipino. ‘It’s so fulfilling to see her back, not just because she’s my best friend, but also because her presence on the court is something else. She brings a different energy.’
Paat’s return, along with Cuban import Yunieska Batista, gives Maraño confidence that the Crossovers can sustain their momentum.
‘I’m really hoping we can bring all the learnings from the PVL on Tour into this conference,’ she said. ‘And with the chemistry we’ve built with Yunieska, I hope it becomes a real strength for us as we compete. We want to be able to go toe-to-toe with the strong teams this conference.’
‘We’re a hardworking team. It’s the same feeling we had during the PVL on Tour that we’re not expecting much, just focusing on what we could do together as a team. And for me, I’m really excited to see how our current chemistry will hold up against other teams, especially there are foreign players and some of the Alas players have returned to their teams. This conference will definitely be more competitive and challenging,’ she added. Maraño describes the chemistry with Cuban import Yunieska Batista as ‘chef’s kiss’ as she joins forces with Ara Galang, Ren Peñafiel, Jasmine Nabor, Imee Hernandez, and Jen Nierva.
‘She’s a very mature player, really easy to get along with on and off the court. She’s not picky, she adjusts well, and she doesn’t give off that ‘VIP import vibe’ that you sometimes see. She’s super humble and a really good follower,’ she said. ‘I can really feel that she respects us local players, especially me. We’re actually the same age, which makes our dynamic even better. Now I feel like I have more support when it comes to leadership, especially with her, Ara, and Mylene all contributing.’