All news tagged BrianBagunas

The wait is over.

After two tough losses, the Alas Pilipinas Men finally broke through at the 2026 Asian Games, beating Uzbekistan in four sets in their classification match to put their first win on the board.

It was a victory built on persistence — the kind of result that can change the tone of a campaign that had started with frustration.

The Filipino side refused to let another opportunity slip away, fighting through four sets against Uzbekistan and finally getting the breakthrough it had been chasing.

For Alas Pilipinas, the win is more than just another entry in the standings. It is a much-needed reward for staying in the fight after a difficult start to the Asian Games campaign.

The men’s squad now carries that momentum into the remainder of the classification round, with another opportunity to finish the tournament on a high.

Two losses. One breakthrough. And finally, a win for Alas Pilipinas Men. 🇵🇭🔥

The campaign continues — and now, the Philippines has something to build on.

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘’𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠? 𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗦 𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗔! 

Alas Pilipinas Men return to action in the 2026 Asian Games classification round, facing familiar Southeast Asian rival Indonesia as they look to finally break through against a team that has already beaten them twice this year.

The Nationals finished at the bottom of Pool D after falling to Korea, China, and Chinese Taipei. After being swept in their first two matches, Alas managed to take a set from Chinese Taipei in their final preliminary-round assignment.

Indonesia also had a difficult group stage, finishing with a 1-2 record. The Indonesians pushed both Thailand and Iran to five sets before falling short, while their lone win came against Kyrgyzstan in straight sets.

Now, the rivalry gets another chapter.

Thursday’s clash marks the third meeting between the Philippines and Indonesia this year. Indonesia swept Alas in the opening leg of the SEA V.Cup in July before taking a four-set victory in the second leg.

For Alas Men, there is no need for extra motivation.

Bryan Bagunas, Marck Espejo, Joshua Magalaman, and Owa Retamar will be among those expected to lead the charge as the Nationals hunt for a much-needed breakthrough in Aichi-Nagoya.

They’ve seen Indonesia before.

They know what went wrong.

NOW, ALAS MEN GET ONE MORE SHOT TO CHANGE THE STORY.