UNFAZED BY PHARAOHS
Josh Ybañez won’t make promises about results. What he can guarantee, though, is heart.
The Alas Pilipinas libero has seen what awaits them: A disciplined and composed Egypt side that stunned Iran, 25-17, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, to seize an early share of the Pool A lead with Tunisia. And on Tuesday, at 5:30 p.m. inside Mall of Asia Arena, the 22-year-old vows that the Filipinos will meet the challenge head-on.
“They played really well, very organized and disciplined,” Ybañez said in Filipino, describing Egypt’s win. “What really stood out to me was their composure under pressure and how consistent they were with their execution. It was a big learning experience for us, because that’s the kind of standard we want to reach, too.”
Egypt is riding high, but the Philippines will go into the match with lessons of its own. In its first-ever World Championship match, Alas stumbled out of the gate against Tunisia, yielding the first two sets with little resistance. Then came a third-set surge sparked by Bryan Bagunas, who turned heads with a fearless scoring run before the hosts fell short, 13-25, 17-25, 23-25.
For Ybañez, a two-time UAAP MVP with University of Santo Tomas now adapting to a libero’s role in the national team, that late push was proof the Filipinos belong on this stage—even against giants of the sport.
“We learned a lot from our first game, especially on the defensive side,” he said. “It gave us more confidence that we can keep up. For the second game, we’ll bring that same energy and hopefully, we can apply the coaches’ adjustments even better.”
The three-day turnaround may not erase all flaws, but Ybañez believes attitude will matter more than all the preparation they managed to fit into that space between games.
“Our mindset is simple: fight with all our heart and give everything we’ve got,” he said. “What we can promise is that we’ll do everything to prove we’re worthy to carry the Philippine flag and represent the country on this stage.”
Not underestimating
With Ybañez anchoring the floor, Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni will again rely on the firepower of Bagunas and Marck Espejo, the orchestration of Owa Retamar and the youthful spark of Peng Taguibolos and Leo Ordiales.
On the opposite side, Egypt’s Italian coach Marco Bonitta will turn to his trusted trio of Ahmed Shafik, Abdelrahman Elhossiny and Aly Seifeldin Hassan, ensuring the Pharaohs won’t underestimate the World No. 89 Filipinos.
Ybañez and Alas Pilipinas may not yet match Egypt’s talent, but they intend to match its composure and give the home crowd something to cheer passionately about.
