Lao, SGA shift focus to volleyball

After a very successful campaign in the William Jones Cup recently, Strong Group Athletics (SGA) will be shifting its focus to volleyball as two of its teams — Farm Fresh and Zus Coffee — are seeing action in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

SGA president Jacob Lao told DAILY TRIBUNE that they are turning their full attention to volleyball, especially now that the PVL On Tour is entering its crucial stretch.

Lao, a former Ateneo de Manila University standout who is the son of distinguished businessman Frank Lao, has been very supporting both basketball and volleyball.

Aside from their flagship basketball club, Lao is also supporting National Collegiate Athletic Association senior teams like College of Saint Benilde and Letran College as well as University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior squads like University of the East (UE) and University of Santo Tomas.

In volleyball, Lao is backing Saint Benilde and University of the Philippines in the collegiate level and Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee in the professional ranks, easily making him one of the most generous sponsors in Philippine sports.

Recently, SGA reached yet another milestone when it emerged as the first Filipino club to win back-to-back titles in the Jones Cup with stars like Kiefer Ravena, Ange Kouame, Dave Ildefonso and Jason Brickman with former National Basketball Association player Andre Roberson as one of the imports.

It was a mission accomplished for SGA as they swept the tourney for the second straight year, prompting Lao to shift his attention to volleyball.

“Maybe now, we’ve shifted our focus to volleyball because it’s going to be a long season after the PVL On Tour. There’s another one in October and then, our college teams are going to play as well,” said Lao, who once stood as assistant team manager of Converge in the Philippine Basketball Association.

“So, we want to focus and give attention to them.”

Bannered by veterans Rachel Anne Daquis and Jheck Dionela with Filipino-American setter Alohi Robins-Hardy, the Foxies are currently at third place in Group A in the PVL On Tour with a 2-1 win-loss record while the Thunderbelles of Jovelyn Gonzaga and rookie AC Miner are at fifth place in Group B with a 2-2 record.

Both teams have shown promise despite being one of the youngest teams in the PVL.

In fact, ZUS Coffee did the unthinkable when it stunned powerhouse Creamline in five sets, 25-22, 28-30, 26-24, 17-25, 15-13, last 19 July at City of Passi Arena in Iloilo.

Meanwhile, Farm Fresh took the scalps of defending PVL All-Filipino champion Petro Gazz, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23, and Choco Mucho, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23, 26-24 in the PVL On Tour.

Lao said he understands that becoming a powerhouse squad in the PVL won’t happen overnight.

“It’s good to see that our teams are growing. At least, we know that we’re on the right path. We’re doing the right things,” the 25-year-old sports executive said.

“We don’t expect to become champions right away or anything. We know it’s going to take time.”