A GALLANT effort a few of the world’s best players, the Alas Pilipinas men’s volleyball team offered a peak of its talent in the recent Invitationals where it faced Japanese superstar Yuji Nishida and the Osaka Bluteon of the Japan SV.League over the weekend.

The Filipino spikers put on a valiant fight in front of the home crowd as they battled the Nishida-led Bluteon in back-to-back friendly matches at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation.

The Blueton eked out a 29-27, 25-23, 25-12 win over Alas men.

“This match is my first time with the Philippine national team. I don’t know (their) players or (their) level, I don’t know so we’ll give more focus to high level with our serve, block, defense, everything (else),” Nishida said.

“The Philippine national team’s not so many times, but sometimes good in (their) performance, every single attack (from) outside (and) middle blocker was very good, high-level (performance),” he added.

Alas coach Angiolino Frigoni was delighted with the nationals’ performance, giving positive remarks against the Bluteon in their first duel despite the outcome.

“The performance was very good for the first two sets. To play at this level, you need a lot of attention. The level of attention must always be very high,” Frigoni said. “We are not able to stay with it so long, with this attention. But I am pretty happy with what we did today, at least for us it is very important because we have to adjust the defense, the blocking, the side out. Against this level, it is very difficult. I am happy.”

The Alas Pilipinas Invitationals were part of the nationals’ build-up prior for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship next year that the country will host.

The draw of the World Championships will be held this Saturday, Sept. 14.

DEFENDING champion San Beda University’s resolve will be tested right away.

The Red Lions square off with the Lyceum Pirates tomorrow, Saturday, as the NCAA’s centennial cage wars get going at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

The match is set at 2:30 p.m. after the expected glamorous opening rites at noon.

Last cage wars’ bridesmaid Mapua tackles College of St. Benilde at 5 p.m.

“Every time naman na kalaban mo iyong Lyceum kailangan ready ka. Katulad ng sabi ko, coach Gilbert (Malabanan) always prepares well,” San Beda coach Yuri Escueta said. “He coaches his team well. He prepares his team well. Isa sa mga pinaka-masipag na teams.

“Hindi lang sa NCAA and sa Pilipinas yata ang Lyceum so it’s going to be a challenge for us. Hopefully, iyong challenge na iyon maharap namin ng tama,” he added.

The Lions will have to make do without former ace Jacob Cortez, who transferred to La Salle in the UAAP, and Peter Alfaro due to graduation but will have reliable players in Yukien Andrada, Jomel Puno and finals MVP James Payosing.

San Beda will also have new additions Bryan Sajonia, brothers RC and Richi Calimag, Penny Estacio, and Bismarck Lina.

John Barba, along with John Bravo, Vincent Cunanan, Mclaude Guadana and Gyle Montano are expected to banner the Pirates’ charge.

“For me, we can expect a very exciting game. Actually, talagang pinaghandaan namin iyong San Beda, iyong first game namin, kasi you know naman, last season talaga natalo kami ng San Beda (kahit may) twice-to-beat, No. 2 kami,” Malabanan said. “So, iyon iyong kumbaga parang motivation ko sa mga players ko ngayon na lalong lalo na first game namin iyong San Beda and again, gusto namin na kumbaga makakabawi din doon sa losses namin last year so I think it’s a motivation to our team.”

CREAMLINE’S opening match loss to PLDT served as an aberration to what turned out be the team’s return to the Promised Land.

“Siyempre matamis na matamis (itong title). Siyempre kahit na wala iyong (ilang) players namin tiwala naman ako sa team namin kasi talagang nag-e-ensayo sila,” Cool Smashers coach Sherwin Meneses said.

“Like kahit nandiyan iyong mga star players namin hindi sila talaga nagpapabaya sa ensayo. Thankful ako kasi nandiyan sila Michele Gumabao, mga leader namin sa team, so thankful talaga ako dahil nandiyan sila,” he added.

Meneses spoke after his charges humbled the erstwhile unbeaten Akari Chargers 25-15, 25-23, 25-17 in their knockout battle for the PVL Reinforced Conference crown last Wednesday night,

Bernadeth Pons, named the conference and finals MVP, along with American import Erica Staunton and veteran hitter Gumabao, showed the way for Creamline as it bagged a ninth title overall despite missing aces Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza.

“Sobrang fulfilling kasi alam ko, alam ko kung paano ako magtrabaho every day, kung paano ako mag-extra sa sarili ko rin para maging 100 percent ako sa team kasi may injury ako before,” Pons said. “Sobrang saya na every day nakikita ko iyong progress ng ginagawa ko and sobrang thankful lang din talaga sa mga teammates ko na laging nandiyan para i-bring out iyong best namin.

“Every day lahat kami talaga sobra kapag nagtra-training kami para na rin kaming naglalaro kasi sobrang competitive talaga lahat. Iyon din talaga iyong isa sa pinakamaganda din sa team kasi ma-cha-challenge ka rin talaga kung anong gagawin mo sa mga sitwasyon na ganito kasi competitive talaga lahat in a very healthy way naman.”

But the best is yet to come for the Cool Smashers in the Invitational tilt where they are joined by the Cignal HD Spikers and the Farm Fresh Foxies, along with foreign guest teams in reigning champion Kurashiki Ablaze of Japan and Thailand’s Est Cola.

REIGNING champion Kurashiki drubbed Farm Fresh 25-13, 25-16 25-16 yesterday for its second straight win in the PVL Invitational Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

Middle blocker Cing Mei Low continued to sizzle for the Japanese-based club with 12 points, seven off attacks and four kill blocks while skipper Saya Taniguchi added 10 markers.

“(We had a) good performance. Nalabas ng Ablaze iyong (aming) way of volleyball,” Ablaze coach Hideo Suzuki said through an interpreter.

“Noong first set, maganda iyong performance ko. (Kapag may) hindi magandang set pero (nagagawan ng paraan) mapalo ng malakas kaya okay today,” Taniguchi added.

It was a mini reunion for Kurashiki after it faced on the other side its former deputy coach and ace player Shota Sato and Asaka Tamaru who now serve as the Foxies tactician and foreign guest player, respectively.

The Ablaze, who opened their title-retention bid last Wednesday with a 25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21 triumph over Est Cola, gained the solo lead with a 2-0 mark.

Reinforced Conference’s Best Opposite Hitter Trisha Tubu and Tamaru scored nine and eight points, respectively, for Farm Fresh.