Petro Gazz bids goodbye to coach Tsuzurabara

MANILA, Philippines — Sayonara Koji Tsuzurabara.

This was how the Petro Gazz Angels bid goodbye to their Japanese coach, who has recently left the team just months after steering the franchise to a breakthrough Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference crown.

The 60-year-old Tzurabara is scheduled to fly back home to Japan Wednesday after posting on his social media account a farewell message to the team and all their supporters.

In the same post, Tsuzurabara also thanked Petro Gazz volleyball operations head Oliver Almadro for recommending the former to be the team’s head coach.

“I’m so grateful,” he said.

Under his watch, Petro Gazz had two podium finishes in the league, including that mammoth upset of dynastic champion Creamline last conference.

In all, Tsuzurabara had a 35-15 mark with the Angels, including a 1-3 card in the ongoing PVL on Tour where they were hobbled by the absences of their top two stars in Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips, who were out due to Alas Pilipinas duties.