Alas Pilipinas men ride world-stage spark into SEA Games
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MANILA, Philippines–Alas Pilipinas men ended the once-in-a-lifetime FIVB Volleyball World Championship with hearts full of pride and a sting of heartbreak, but now they head into the 33rd Southeast Asian Games armed with hope and a wealth of experience.
Even after narrowly missing the round of 16 with a five-set loss to Iran, the world saw what the Philippine men’s volleyball team is capable of, showcasing its resilience and potential to compete with the best of the best under the bright lights.
Their world championship debut was a mix of heartbreak and excitement, but the country’s successful hosting was a clear sign of the Alas men’s bright future, boosting its medal hopes in the SEA Games.
READ: Alas Pilipinas loads up with FIVB men’s world stars for SEA Games
For 10-year veteran Marck Espejo, the World Championship run felt like a career circle closing. But it reignited the fire under him to continue representing the country with his fellow superstar and this year’s flag bearer, Bryan Bagunas, who shone the brightest in the world championship.
“After the World Championship, I felt even more excited, especially with us heading to the SEA Games. It feels like all eyes will really be on Team Philippines because of how well things went at the World Championship,” Espejo told the Inquirer in Filipino. “And I think that becomes our motivation, too. All the teams will definitely be preparing for us in the SEA Games, so we really have to be ready.”
It has been a decade since his first SEA Games appearance, when the former Ateneo star was part of a very young men’s program returning to national competition in the 2015 Singapore Games.
“Ten years ago, in my first SEA Games, the team wasn’t really complete. It wasn’t exactly rushed, but we just weren’t fully ready,” he said.
Last podium
FILE–The Philippine men’s volleyball team celebrates a point against Thailand during the 2019 SEA Games. INQUIRER PHOTO/AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Espejo and Bagunas steered the national volleyball team to a silver medal in the SEA Games Manila in 2019 when they reached the final but fell to powerhouse Indonesia. But the program was halted by the pandemic and the team settled for back-to-back fifth-place finishes in Vietnam with the same core, followed by a rebuild in Cambodia.
“After my first year, every SEA Games, the preparations are much better. In 2019, things went well, but then the pandemic happened and we had to start from zero again,” Espejo said.
Part of that historic team was a young setter and first-time international campaigner, Owa Retamar.
READ: Marck Espejo, Alas Pilipinas aiming high at SEA Games
But since then, Retamar has emerged as one of the top playmakers in the country, dominating the UAAP and Spikers’ Turf and proving his world-class setting in the FIVB championship.
“As a player, so many things have changed in me. My mindset about playing, and also the way I see volleyball here in the Philippines,” said Retamar, also marveling at the program’s rise since his national team debut in 2019.
“The level of volleyball here in the Philippines is really rising. You can see collegiate teams performing well and even starting to adapt things they saw from the World Championship. That’s why what’s happening in Philippine volleyball right now is really exciting.”
The rare campaign took Philippine men’s volleyball to greater heights but also added bigger expectations in the biennial meet.
“Of course, everyone has expectations and we also expect a lot from ourselves,” Retamar said. “We need to show something good, to keep improving, and to build on what we showed in the World Championship.”
World championship experience
Bryan Bagunas and Alas Pilipinas celebrate a point against Egypt during their FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
With the system and plays of Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni lying in his hands, Retamar vows to keep the team together and try to maximize the talents of his teammates.
“The most important thing is my connection with Coach Angiolino and Coach Alejandro (Aldana). From start to finish, no matter what happens, I need to be aligned with what they want. I’ll do whatever they need from me,” said the longtime national team setter. “And I also have to give them feedback about what’s happening on the court so we stay connected and on the same page.”
READ: Alas Pilipinas’ strong connection fuels Owa Retamar in upset
And every time he dons the Philippine team jersey, the former National University playmaker has the same motivation–but bigger goals–in his third SEA Games.
“What I always carry with me is being proud to be Filipino. Because when people talk about Filipinos, sometimes there’s this idea that we can’t keep up in sports. So I’m proud that at this level, Filipinos can compete. And not just in volleyball, but in other sports as well,” said Retamar.
“You can expect a more mature Owa on the court. I’ll bring out everything I learned from the World Championship. And of course, I’ll show that I’ve really improved.”
Making his debut in the SEA Games is two-time UAAP MVP Josh Ybañez, who emerged as Alas Pilipinas’ top defender despite being known for his scoring prowess for the University of Santo Tomas.
Alas Pilipinas’ Josh Ybañez during a FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship debut game against Tunisia at Mall of Asia Arena. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
As Alas libero, Ybañez provided a stable floor defense, digging, and receiving against the world’s top hitters
“I learned so much from that tournament. I met so many people who became important to me and who continue to inspire me, basically the people I look up to. My perspective on life changed, especially when it comes to my volleyball career,” said Ybañez.
“The future looks bright for men’s volleyball in the Philippines. And all of us are working toward that. One of the team’s main goals is to raise the level of volleyball in the country,” he added. “We’re looking forward to creating new memories with the team and achieving greater heights together.”
Like his veteran teammates, the young floor defender is also aware of the bigger challenge and pressure in the SEA Games.
“We always focus on ourselves first. If we keep thinking about what people expect from us, we’ll only feel more pressure. So it’s better to focus on what we have and just show what our team can really do,” said Ybañez.
“We just focus on strengthening the team and figuring out how we’ll build our chemistry before we enter the SEA Games.”
Still the underdogs
Alas Pilipinas after losing to Iran in the FIVB Men’s World Championship pool phase. The Filipinos bow out of the tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Despite turning heads on the world stage, Espejo believes they are still the underdogs of this SEA Games, but he hopes to pull off another magical run this time.
“Actually, within the team, we don’t talk about needing to win right away or that we have to get a podium finish or a gold at the SEA Games. We were just really happy after the World Championship because we gained experience, we got the chance to play, and things went well for us,” said Espejo, the last UAAP Rookie MVP before Ybañez also achieved the feat.
READ: Suzara: Alas Pilipinas’ breakthrough a boost for SEA Games
“But of course, the pressure is always there. People’s expectations got even higher because of our World Championship performance. Still, we’re really preparing for the SEA Games because, honestly, the Philippines is still the underdog.”
From Ybanez’s youthful energy to Retamar’s calm leadership and Espejo’s renewed fire, Alas Pilipinas Men enter the SEA Games with a new identity shaped by the World Championship–a team that knows how to handle pressure and expectations and can do whatever it takes to make a nation believe.
“I may be one of the youngest on the team, but my age doesn’t really matter because I believe I have leadership inside the court. And I think people will see a more mature version of me, someone who can really take on a leadership role during games,” Ybañez said.
There are no promises from the team, but these men’s volleyball stars will continue to dream big.
“I don’t want to make any bold statements, but we’re really going to do our best in this coming SEA Games. I don’t want to promise anything, but hopefully we get there first, by making it to the top four, and then hopefully win the gold this time,” said Espejo.
“I’ll keep pushing the team—along with the other seniors—to bring out the best in every player. I really hope this is the SEA Games where Team Philippines gets a great result.”
