Bryan Bagunas for Oita Miyoshi. Photo from Bryan Bagunas’ Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — Bryan Bagunas unleashed a career-high 42 points to end Oita Miyoshi’s 11-game skid with a thrilling 20-25, 25-19, 30-32, 25-21, 15-13 victory over VC Nagano in the Japan V.League on Sunday at Shiojiri City Gymnasium.
Bagunas delivered 36 attacks, three blocks, and three service aces to finish the Weisse Adler’s season with 6-30 record in the ninth place.
The National University standout was efficient in his career game, hitting 36 of his 62 spike attempts, including 17 kills from the back row to lift his team from a 1-2 match deficit.
Oita Miyoshi missed Venezuelan spiker Emerson Rodriguez. Kota Yamada and Kyogo Kawaguchi were also instrumental with 14 points each, while Shota Fujiwara added 13 to bounce back from their four-set loss to Nagano on Saturday.
The Tridents finished the season dead last with 5-31 card with Rivan Nurmulki leading the way with 24 points, while Kota Ikeda had 19 in a loss.
Bagunas and Co. will fight for their billing in the Division 1 in a qualification match in April.
Meanwhile, Jaja Santiago scored eight as the Ageo Medics vented their ire on the Okayama Seagulls, 25-12, 25-17, 28-26, at Sanyo Fureai Park Gymnasium.
Santiago posted five attacks and three blocks to lead Ageo Medics’ bounce back from a heartbreaking five-set loss to Toyota Auto Body on Saturday.
Yuka Sato showed the way for Saitama with 18 points. Lorenne Teixeira scattered 12 spikes, three aces and two blocks to finish with 17 markers, while Mami Uchiseto added 12 as their team improved to 17-13 record in the sixth place.
Amika Saiki was the lone bright spot for Okayama with 15 points as her team dropped to 12-19.
Marck Espejo, however, was not as fortunate as his compatriots as FC Tokyo got swept by Panasonic Panthers, 21-25, 12-25, 24-26, at Machida City Gymnasium.
Espejo only played in the last two sets and scored three of his six spike attempts as Tokyo slid to 9-24 in the eighth place with Panasonic (24-10) asserting their mastery following a three-set victory on Saturday.