PVL: Back in old stomping ground, Jaja Santiago shines for Creamline

Creamline’s Jaja Santiago during a PVL Invitational Conference game against Nxled at Araneta Coliseum.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — It’s been a while since Jaja Santiago-Minowa last played at Smart Araneta Coliseum, and she stood tall in her return to the historic Big Dome on Monday, leading Creamline to an opening victory in the PVL Invitational Conference.

But the feeling remains the same for Minowa, who was back like she never left after dropping 19 points in a 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20 win over Nxled.

READ: PVL Invitational: Jaja Santiago-Minowa, Creamline turn back Nxled

Jaja Santiago-Minowa on her first game with Araneta Coliseum again. #PVL2026 @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/Wtr28XwBwF

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) August 31, 2026

“Honestly, it still felt like home. I still felt like I was playing here, so it didn’t really feel new to me,” said Minowa, whose previous game at Araneta Coliseum was when she was still playing in the UAAP and in the defunct Philippine Superliga, in Filipino.

“I love Araneta because this is where I last saw my father. Sorry, that’s a bit of a segue. But I really felt like I was still playing in front of the fans and giving my best for everyone.”

While Minowa’s stint with Creamline is only a short stop as she is set to play in the United States next year, coach Sherwin Meneses hopes the former UAAP MVP’s PVL return will also help her prepare for the next chapter of her career.

“I’m hoping Creamline’s game will continue to improve with Jaja throughout the Invitational. We only have 10 days, so we want to give our best to help her, and she’s doing the same for us,” he said in Filipino.

READ: No doubt Creamline is team to beat as PVL Invitational fires off

“Teamwork is really important, especially because the tournament is very short. We’re also fortunate that the Creamline players are ready.  We’re lucky that Jaja ended up with us. That’s probably our biggest advantage — a champion team with Jaja. Let’s just wait and see what happens.”

Minowa is excited to learn new things from the Cool Smashers and share her international experience with them, as she eyes a successful one-week homecoming in the PVL.

“I think it’s good to experience different systems because not every team you face plays the same way. You’re also learning how to deal with different styles. You learn that one system works against a certain team, while another system might work against someone else. So I think learning different systems is really helpful because you can apply those lessons in different games,” she said.