Alas Pilipinas Males and Japan’s Osaka Bluteon.–PNVF PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–The boys’s volleyball staff held their heads excessive regardless of a straight-set loss towards Japan S V.League membership Osaka Bluteon on day one of many Alas Pilipinas Invitationals on the PhilSports Area.
Osaka Bluteon consists of gamers from the fan-favorite Japanese males’s volleyball staff 2024 Paris Olympic roster similar to hard-hitting reverse Yuji Nishida, libero Tomohiro Yamamoto, center blocker Akihiro Yamauchi and out of doors hitter Shoma Tomita. The staff additionally has the providers of Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Jaeschke and Cuban participant Miguel Lopez Castro.
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Within the minds of the Alas Pilipinas gamers, they had been enjoying towards not solely world-class volleyball gamers however their idols as nicely.
READ: Alas Pilipinas Males fall to Yuji Nishida-led Osaka
“From the primary second that I noticed [Nishida] on courtroom, I used to be starstruck seeing him. Despite the fact that we had been on opposing sides, each time he was proven on the monitor display screen, I’d nonetheless cheer for him,” the Rookie of the Yr and Most Helpful Participant of UAAP Season 85 Josh Ybañez jokingly stated to Inquirer following a 29-27, 25-23, 25-12 loss on Saturday.
Ybañez even owns a Nishida jersey that he’s seen sporting in a TikTok video with fellow Alas Pilipinas participant Vince Lorenzo.
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But, the College of Santo Tomas participant stated that he was not shocked with the great efficiency of Alas Pilipinas with considered one of Japan’s prime membership groups.
“Really, I anticipated this type of consequence the place our staff will actually struggle,” Ybañez stated. “I’ve an enormous belief within the staff, particularly with the coaches and my teammates who’re contained in the courtroom.”
Ybañez stated that they only wanted to additional enhance on their lapses from the match.
For setter EJ Casaña, he noticed the sport as a problem to face the gamers that they’ve been watching play on the Olympic stage.
“We had been very excited after we came upon that we had been going to play towards them,” Casaña stated.
READ: Japan groups prepared to check Alas Pilipinas’ mettle
The Invitationals is the primary time that the nationwide staff was capable of face choose gamers from Japan’s nationwide staff. Different previous pleasant matches towards the Japan staff have been canceled on account of COVID-19 well being protocols in 2022 and “unexpected circumstances” in June 2024.
Casaña stated that this expertise will assist them of their preparations for the 2025 FIVB World Championship. Because the solo host, Alas Pilipinas routinely certified for the event the place they are going to face the highest volleyball groups from 32 nations on the earth.
“That is additionally for the sake of Philippine volleyball in order that we will enhance as a result of everyone knows that we’re nonetheless removed from being prepared for subsequent yr’s World Championship,” Casaña added.
Libero Yamamoto acknowledged the efforts of Alas Pilipinas.
“They’re an excellent staff,” the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Finest Libero stated by way of a translator. “We had some powerful moments [in the match] as nicely however we’re very grateful to have the ability to play with everybody proper right here.”
From fanboys to acknowledged opponents, Alas Pilipinas managed to carry their very own towards their favourite gamers which is a feat that they are going to absolutely cherish.
