Jia De Guzman, Gagate bag awards in Alas Pilipinas’ bronze win

Alas Pilipinas’ Jia De Guzman and Thea Gagate during the SEA V.League awarding ceremony.–Photo from Alas Pilipinas

MANILA, Philippines — Jia De Guzman and Thea Gagate emerged as individual awardees in the 2024 SEA VLeague to add to Alas Pilipinas’ podium finish in Leg 1 in Vinh Phuc, Vietnam.

Moments after winning bronze, De Guzman was recognized as the Best Setter, while Gagate was one of the Best Middle Blockers in the league with Vietnamese Thi Tra Giang Dinh.

The Alas captain, who saw action in the Japan V.League with Denso AiryBees, anchored the Philippines’ offense to end a five-year winning drought in the regional meet, outlasting Indonesia, 25-23, 15-25, 25-23, 25-21.

READ: Alas Pilipinas ends SEA VLeague drought with bronze

De Guzman won her second international Best Setter award this year after winning one in the AVC Challenge Cup last June when Alas won its first bronze medal in the confederation.

Gagate, who had 10 points including three blocks in their bronze medal-clinching win to end an 11-game losing streak in the VLeague, became the tournament’s best middle blocker from the Philippines since her fellow La Salle product Majoy Baron won the award in two legs in 2019.

De Guzman and Gagate joined a couple of Filipino individual awardees in the league in Baron and 2019 second leg Best Libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig, 2022 edition Best Libero Kyla Atienza, and last year’s second leg Best Opposite Hitter Alyssa Solomon, who was Alas’ leading scorer in their previous campaign.

Chatchu-on Moksri was named the 1st Leg MVP and Best Outside Spiker after pouring in 29 points to lead Thailand’s title-clinching 25-18, 27-29, 23-25, 25-21, 15-13 win over Vietnam, led by Thi Bich Tuyen Nguyen’s 41-point explosion.

READ: SEA VLeague: Alas Pilipinas takes beating from Thailand

Moksri’s teammate Kongyot Ajcharaporn won the other Best Outside Spiker award, as Thai Pannoy Piyanut earned the Best Libero.

Nguyen, who led Vietnam’s gallant stand in the final, brought home the Best Opposite Spiker trophy as her team settled for another runner-up finish.

Alas Pilipinas eyes another good run in the second leg in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from August 9 to 11.