ALAS Pilipinas Men will head to the Asian Games with another reminder of the gap it still needs to bridge in Southeast Asia even after beating Myanmar, 28-26, 25-17, 25-23, in the 6th SEA V.Cup on Saturday in Jakarta.
The Philippines' fifth-place finish in Leg 2 in Jakarta mirrored its home stint in Candon almost to the letter.
READ: Alas Men misses SEA V.Cup semis again in loss to Indonesia
Lirick Mendoza once again carried the tune for the Filipinos, resetting his national team career-high with 21 points before delivering the game-winning hit after Myanmar erased two match points late in the third set.
Just like Leg 1, Alas Men dropped back-to-back matches to Cambodia and Indonesia before salvaging fifth-place with a classification win over newcomer Myanmar.
The repeat finish served as sobering reminder of the ground the Philippines still needs to make up against Southeast Asia's top sides if it hopes to realize its regional ambitions.
Instead of building momentum ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games this September, the Filipinos managed just one win in three matches for the second straight leg without Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo.
Alas Men at least left Indonesia on a winning note, but the bigger takeaway was another reality check they would ponder on in the next two months ahead of the Asiad men's volleyball tournament from September 27 to October 3.
Silver linings playbook
Myanmar looked set to draw first blood after storming to a 20-16 lead, but the Philippines pulled even just as fast at 23-all before Htoo Bhone Myat Aung's attack misfire handed them the set on their fourth try.
With the first breakthrough secured, the Filipinos seized control in the second, pulling away by as many as eight points to move within a frame from fifth place.
Alas Men then looked ready to wrap things up in the third after reigning NCAA MVP Axel Van Book fired them to three match points at 24-21. Myanmar refused to go quietly by saving two of those until Mendoza hammered home the winning attack.
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