BRYAN Bagunas and Marck Espejo are back to lead from the front as Alas Pilipinas Men charge forward in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Alas men coach Angiolino Frigoni’s 14-man squad only has one change from the history-making World Championship squad last September, as per the Philippine Olympic Committee list of athletes as of Thursday.
READ: Belen, Nitura, Canino lead 14-woman Alas team for SEA Games
Incoming University of Santo Tomas sophomore Al-Bukharie Sali, a 6-foot-5 opposite hitter, replaces veteran libero Jack Kalingking in an otherwise intact team for the biennial meet.
He will be joined by multi-awarded opposites Leo Ordiales and Louie Ramirez in the right wing.
Familiar faces return to ignite the Nationals’ offense, with National University outside hitters Buds Buddin and Jade Disquitado completing the seven-spiker cast.
Still anchoring the net defense are prized middle blockers Kim Malabunga, Lloyd Josafat and Peng Taguibolos.
The same setter duo in Owa Retamar and Eco Adajar will call the shots on the court.
On the backline, spiker-turned-libero Josh Ybanez will pair with Vince Lorenzo this time as the Nationals’ two floor generals.
Four-time Spikers’ Turf MVP and newly crowned champion Jude Garcia begged off from what would have been his Alas Men indoor volleyball debut, as he and his wife are expecting the birth of their first child soon.
Alas Men SEA Games schedule
The Nationals are aiming to end a six-year medal drought, having last reached the podium with a silver on home soil in the 2019 SEA Games.
Historically, the Philippines has secured bronze five times and silver twice in men’s volleyball, but the elusive gold remains out of reach.
Of the 14 players in this year’s roster, only four returnees remain from that 2019 silver-medal squad in Bagunas, Espejo, Retamar and Malabunga.
Alas Men open their medal campaign on Dec. 13 against Myanmar to kick off Group B action, followed by reigning three-time champion Indonesia on Dec. 16.
Their Dec. 18 assignment hinges on either making the top two in the group for a semifinal berth or a drop into the classification phase.
Meanwhile, Group A features Thailand, winner of four of the last seven men’s volleyball golds, alongside Laos, Vietnam, and Singapore.
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