Bryan Bagunas made history after becoming the first Filipino men’s volleyball player to win a Japan SV.League championship.

Bagunas and Osaka Bluteon completed a dramatic Finals series comeback on Sunday, sweeping Suntory Sunbirds, 25-22, 25-20, 25-18, in Game 3 to capture the title.

 

 

Japanese national team star Yuji Nishida emerged as the Most Valuable Player and led Osaka in Game 3 with 15 points, including the championship-clinching ace, while Cuban import Miguel Angel Lopez added 19 points against the squad bannered by Ran Takahashi.

The Alas Pilipinas captain saw action only in Game 1, where he scored two points off the bench in Suntory’s 26-24, 22-25, 25-16, 25-23 victory last Friday.

Osaka bounced back in Game 2 with a 13-25, 25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 15-9 win behind Nishida and Lopez to force a deciding match.

The championship capped Bagunas’ successful return to international volleyball after recovering from a knee injury. 

 

 

The 28-year-old outside hitter earlier helped Alas Pilipinas defeat Egypt in the FIVB Men’s World Championship and narrowly missed the Round of 16 after a five-set loss to Iran.

 

 

Bagunas played a supporting role in Osaka’s loaded rotation during the regular season as the Bluteon finished second with a 38-6 record and tallied a total of 31 points on 23 attacks, five blocks and three aces across 39 matches.

Bagunas also joined Jaja Santiago among Filipinos who have won SV.League titles after Santiago captured the women’s championship with Osaka Marvelous last year.