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Jia De Guzman commits to Philippine volleyball team for AVC Challenge Cup

MANILA, Philippines — The Meralco Bolts are heading into the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals after blasting the NLEX Road Warriors, 100-81, Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

The Bolts are able to set a date with Barangay Ginebra in the next round of the playoffs.

Chris Banchero waxed hot, unleashing a season-high 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Meralco. He had a +- of +27.

The Road Warriors were able to go toe-to-toe through the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, as they trailed by five, 75-80, with a layup by Dominick Fajardo.

In the next three minutes, the Bolts uncorke d a 10-0 run capped by Bong Quinto’s jumper to go up, 90-75.

A Fajardo layup stopped the bleeding, 77-90, but a backbreaking 10-1 run punctuated by a triple by Quinto broke the game wide open and ended the Road Warriors’ season.

The Road W arriors trailed by just three, 49-52, heading into the second half.

However, Meralco started to pull away and led by 13 in t he third quarter, before NLEX cut the lead to six going into the final canto.

The Road Warriors shot just 36% from the field compared to the Bolts’ 49% shooting.

Allein Maliksi and Cliff Hodge chipped in 14 points ap iece. Quinto had 13, while Chris Newsome and Raymond Almazan powered in 12 and 10 markers, respectively.

Robert Bolick led NLEX with 18 points, but made just 6-of-18 field goal attempts. Fajardo added 15 markers and six boards.

MANILA, Philippines — Eight-time PVL Best Setter Jia Morado-De Guzman verbally committed to playing for the national team in the upcoming AVC Challenge Cup slated here in Manila this month.

De Guzman, who is back from a stint with the Denso Airybees in the Japan V. League 1,  where they finished fifth, told the media on Sunday evening that she will be returning to the Nationals for the first time since the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.

“Yes, I’m going to play in the upcoming AVC Challenge Cup and I know, very little preparation but we’re going to give our best despite that,” said De Guzman, who was at the Big Dome to watch her former PVL team Creamline battle Choco Mucho in the finals. 

“All the time naman, ready to step up for the flag, so excited ako to play for the Philippines again.”

The Philippine National Volle yball Federation has yet to release the final lineup for the competition set for May 22 to 29 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

There, they will go up against teams like Chinese Taipei, India, Iran and Australia in Pool A.

De Guzman last played in the Challenge Cup back in 2022, with the Creamline Cool Smashers. There, they finished 6th.

The Philippines also competed in the 2023 edition of the competition with players from the Akari Chargers. They placed seventh among 11 participating nations.

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