Alas Pilipinas’ Buddin, Malabunga hailed in SEA VLeague

Alas Pilipinas men’s Buds Buddin and Kim Malabunga during the SEA VLeague first leg awarding ceremony at Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.–LANCE AGCAOILI/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Buds Buddin and Kim Malabunga earned individual awards in Alas Pilipinas’ bronze medal finish in the SEA VLeague first leg on Sunday evening at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Buddin, a late addition to Alas Pilipinas, received the 2nd Best Outside Spiker — his first international individual award — after a stellar Philippine national team debut with an average of 12.3 points in three games for the team’s first-ever podium finish in the regional tournament.

“Hindi ko inexpect talaga na ako yung magkaka-award and ayun dahil nabigyan ako, sobrang ko and siguro gagawin ko siyang inspirasyon para mas lalo kong galingan sa mga next league ko,” said Buddin, one of the two best outside hitters alongside Thailand’s Napadet Bhinijder.

READ: Alas Pilipinas, sans Bryan Bagunas, bags SEA VLeague bronze

Malabunga, one of the few holdovers of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games silver medal team, earned the 2nd Best Middle Blocker after norming three blocks per game — a tournament-high six kill blocks in their lone win against Vietnam — to average 7.3 points in the first leg.

More than his award, the national team mainstay offered their bronze to injured captain Bryan Bagunas, who suffered a knee injury in their four-set loss to Indonesia on Saturday.

“Ginawa naming motivation ‘yung pagkawala ni Bryan. Kasi isa ko sa mga pinakamatanda sa team. Sabi ko lang is gawin natin ‘yung best natin kahit wala si Bryan, gawin pa rin natin kung anong tinuro ni coach at i-apply lang,” said Malabunga, who was honored with Indonesia’s 1st Best Middle Blocker Quan Trong Nghia.

Thailand’s Nilsawai Kissada earned the 1st leg MVP after leading Thailand to a perfect title run. He bannered the mythical team, which includes Best Opposite Spiker Pham Van Hiep of Vietnam, Best Setter Zulfikri Dio of Indonesia, and Best Libero Tanapat Charoensuk of Thailand.

Alas flies to Indonesia for leg 2 from August 23 to 25 as Malabunga and his teammates continue to learn from Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni

“Feeling ko naman paangat na nang paangat yung national team ngayon. Nakita niyo, yung mga bagong player, nag-sstep-up sila kahit may mga mas matatanda,” said Malabunga. “Ngayon, yung bagong program kasi is ang gaan i-apply sa laro. Maraming bago and maraming tinuturo. Hindi man namin totally na-eexecute lahat ‘yung mga pinapagawa niya pero step-by-step talaga ‘yung kailangan para sa next tournament.”