26/07/2026
🏐 Alas Pilipinas Men: Who stood out in this batch of the national team? 🇵🇭
After watching the team throughout the SEA V Cup 2026, here are my Top 4 standout players from this batch of Alas Pilipinas:
1️⃣ Josh Magalaman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The biggest revelation for me. Josh was the most consistent scorer throughout the tournament, finishing with almost double-digit points in every match. He proved he can be a reliable go-to attacker and definitely earned Coach Frigoni's trust.
2️⃣ Adrian Villados 🎯
Adrian may have been in and out of the national team over the years, but his playmaking was outstanding. His decision-making as a setter was impeccable, consistently putting Magalaman and the middle blockers in great scoring positions. He quietly made the offense flow.
3️⃣ Josh Ybanez 🛡️
A massive improvement as Alas Pilipinas' libero. His floor defense, receptions, and composure were exceptional throughout the tournament. Honestly, no notes—Josh was simply amazing and one of the team's most dependable players.
4️⃣ Lirick Mendoza 💥
A middle blocker turned opposite, Lirick showed plenty of promise. He has the potential to become Alas' next reliable opposite alongside Leo Ordiales, who also made the same transition from middle blocker. One thing that stood out was Lirick's stability from the service line. The power, timing, and overall familiarity with the opposite position will come with more experience, just as Ordiales developed over the years with the national team.
Honorable Mention 👏
Some players also showed flashes of their potential, even though they didn't get as much playing time as the four mentioned above. Most of them embraced their roles coming off the bench and contributed in key moments to help Alas Pilipinas win games. Hopefully, in future tournaments, they'll get the opportunity to start and showcase what they're truly capable of. The future of Alas Pilipinas is definitely exciting.
These are my Top 4 standouts from this batch of Alas Pilipinas. They showed tremendous growth and proved they have what it takes to become key pieces of the national team moving forward.
Who's your standout player from this batch of Alas Pilipinas? 🇵🇭🏐👇
