Bryan Bagunas, Owa Retamar, Josh Ybanez, and Marck Espejo all finished among the statistical leaders of the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship, proving Alas Pilipinas’ talent belongs on the global stage.
Alas Pilipinas may have missed out on the Round of 16, but their campaign in the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship still turned heads on the global stage.
Several Filipinos ranked among the tournament’s top individual performers after pool play, proving that the team’s historic run was backed by world-class talent.
Bryan Bagunas | #3 in scoring (70 points)
Alas Pilipinas’ team captain ranked third overall in scoring, piling up 70 points across three matches. His production came from 61 attacks, six blocks, and three aces, making him one of the most efficient and versatile scorers in the group stage.
Belgium's Ferre Reggers is on top with 73 points, followed by Bulgaria's Aleksandar Nikolov with 70.
Bagunas is followed by Finland's Joonas Jokela with 67, and the Netherlands' Michiel Ahyi with 61.
Owa Retamar | #4 in setting (42.69 success%)
Retamar was steady as ever for Alas Men, finishing as the fourth-best setter in the preliminary round. The former NU product tallied 111 excellent sets, consistently orchestrating the Philippine offense and helping Alas Pilipinas compete toe-to-toe against higher-ranked opponents like Egypt and Iran.
In the Philippines debut at the World Championship, Retamar managed to crack the Top 5 after the pool phase.
“Para ito sa bawat balibolistang pinagtawanan at pinagdudahan dahil volleyball ang pinili nilang sport. Ito na ang simula ng pantay na respeto at pagkilala sa Men’s Volleyball. Wala na tayong dapat ikahiya,” Retamar shared.
Argentina's Lucciano De Cecco is on top with 137 excellent sets, followed by Iran's Arshia, and Brazil's Fernando.
Josh Ybanez | #5 in reception (23 total, 21.51%), #7 in digs (21 total, 60 success %)
A spiker-turned-libero, Ybanez made his presence felt on defense, ranking in two categories.
The UST star finished seventh in digs with 21 excellent digs and fifth in receptions with 23 excellent receives—numbers that underscored his all-around reliability in the back row.
In digs, Belgium's 19-year-old libero Gorik Lantsoght is on top with 33 excellent digs.
Ybañez though shares the seventh spot with Japan's Ran Takahashi and Czechia's Milan Monik.
Marck Espejo | #4 in reception (24 total, 30.77 success %)
Espejo also cracked the top five in receiving, finishing fourth overall with 24 excellent receives. His steady floor defense complemented his leadership and scoring, helping stabilize Alas Pilipinas in pressure situations.
Luka Marttila of Finland is the top receiver of the pool phase with a 30.34% success rate, followed by Luciano Palonsky of Argentina and Ivo Casas of Portugal.
The strong individual performances reinforced what Alas Pilipinas showed throughout the group stage: that the Philippines can hold its own on volleyball’s biggest stage.
From Bagunas’ firepower to Retamar’s playmaking and the defensive brilliance of Ybanez and Espejo, the tournament became a showcase of talent and potential for Philippine men’s volleyball.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.