Jia De Guzman, Denso Airybees rule Japan V. Cup

Jia De Guzman is a champion anew, this time in an overseas league.

The veteran Filipino setter and the Denso Airybees outlasted the Hitachi Astemo Rivale in a five-set thriller, 25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12, to reign supreme in the Japan V. Cup on Sunday.

De Guzman has now joined an elite group of Filipino imports who have won a title in the prestigious Japanese league, which included fellow volleyball ace Jaja Santiago, who led the Ageo Medics to the V. Cup throne in March 2021 after a four-set victory against NEC Red Rockets.

De Guzman, an eight-time PVL Best Setter, was also the latest Filipino athlete to become an international champion alongside Bryan Bagunas, Marck Espejo, and Ced Domingo.

Bagunas recently led Win Streak to back-to-back titles in the Top Volleyball League in Taiwan while Espejo and the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos ruled the 2023-2024 Korean V. League Men’s Championship.

The 24-year-old Domingo, who now suits up for Akari in the PVL, was coming off a title run with Nakhon Ratchasima in the Volleyball Thailand League.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News