SHERWIN Meneses will coach the Creamline Cool Smashers in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference set on Mar. 16 at the Paco Arena in Manila in lieu of head mentor Tai Bandit.
Mr. Meneses has been tasked to handle the reins after Mr. Bundit, who steered the franchise to three championships, was reportedly asked to stay in Bangkok, Thailand where the latter lives due to the pandemic.
Creamline reportedly tried to arrange Mr. Bundit to come to the country in January but since there was a big spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases at that time, it decided to just stick with Mr. Meneses and let the former stay back home just to be on the safe side.
“He’s (Mr. Bundit) not coming. Creamline requested him to stay in Bangkok because of the pandemic here. Sherwin Meneses will be coaching,” a source told The STAR on Thursday.
Mr. Meneses handled some of the early games of the Cool Smashers last year in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte and held the fort in Mr. Bundit’s absence.
Mr. Bundit arrived midway in the elimination round but Creamline fell a set short of claiming the crown and ended up runner up to Chery Tiggo, which eventually won their best-of-three title series, 2-1.
Now, Creamline hopes to improve on their last sortie under Mr. Meneses.
Mr. Meneses will handle a squad that is bannered by many-time league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Alyssa Valdez, two-time Finals MVP and many-time best setter Jia Morado, Jema Galanza, Tots Carlos, Jeanette Panaga and Risa Sato among others.
Apart from Creamline and Chery Tiggo, Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho, F2 Logistics, Army, PLDT Home Fibr, Bali Pure and Cignal HD are the other teams seeing action in the country’s lone pro volley league. — Joey Villar
