Akari beefed up its frontline by acquiring middle blocker Fifi Sharma, Chargers head coach Jorge Souza de Brito confirmed on Saturday.
The Brazilian mentor, however, admitted that he is clueless as to when the De La Salle University standout will formally see action for the Chargers in the Premier Volleyball League.
Sharma, who was a vital cog in the Lady Spikers’ University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 championship run, was spotted watching Akari’s Invitational Conference opening day game against PLDT at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan sporting the team’s shirt.
“This answer, I don’t have. I’d like that she can prepare for training, and if possible, play in this conference. But I’m not sure. I don’t have the official update from the team, the management,” De Brito said in an interview following his squad’s straight sets loss in Pool A.
“But I know she signed with us. So she’ll be a part of the Akari Chargers. She’ll start training Monday.”
Sharma played for La Salle for two seasons after making her debut in the pandemic-cancelled Season 82 back in 2020.
The 5-foot-11 volleybelle averaged 6.5 points per game and normed 0.49 kill blocks per set in her last campaign for the Lady Spikers.
Sharma was also in the initial list of the 23-woman national pool composed of collegiate stars that were supposed to play in the 2022 Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup for Women. However, the Philippine National Volleyball Federation disbanded the team and instead fielded PVL powerhouse Creamline.
De Brito said that Sharma will be a good addition to the young Chargers team that already has a blue-chip recruit in Faith Nisperos.
“She plays well. The same with the question the guys had for Faith, we’ll see how she does in the PVL. We’re gonna develop her to be at a good level she can play and show how good she is,” the mentor said.
Sharma though cannot suit up in the mid-season conference as the deadline for the submission of team rosters has already lapsed.
