Alas Men drop semis to Thailand, to face Vietnam for bronze 

The echoes of Pasig in 2019 never found their way to Bangkok. Six years after stunning Thailand on home soil, Alas Pilipinas Men saw their return to the Southeast Asian Games semifinals end abruptly on Thursday night, as the host nation asserted its authority with a straight-sets 25-20, 25-19, 25-21 win at the Indoor Stadium Huamark.

From the opening serve, the Thais dictated the tone, building a defensive wall that made life difficult for Philippine captain Bryan Bagunas. 

The familiar outlets were cut off early, forcing Alas to search for answers against Thailand’s size and discipline at the net. 

Despite coming off a landmark appearance in the FIVB World Championship last September, the Filipinos struggled to find sustained rhythm in their biggest SEA Games match since their silver-medal run in 2019.

“There were moments where it felt like we were right there,” Bagunas said after the match. “I feel like we cut down on our errors, but maybe we just didn’t have that same eagerness to win in this game. I’m honestly speechless because this wasn’t the result we expected. Before the game, we talked about how we really needed to fight for it. But I guess it just wasn’t meant for us this time.”

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ALAS PILIPINAS MEN FALL IN SEMIS

Team PH bows to Thailand in straight sets (20-25, 19-25, 21-25) in the #SEAGames2025 semifinals, delivering an underwhelming showing marked by too many unforced errors.

Alas will now face Vietnam for the bronze. pic.twitter.com/lffrIQ3Mvg

— 𝐕𝐓 (@volleytiger) December 18, 2025

If there was a lifeline for Alas, it came through Leo Ordiales, who delivered a game-high 25 points built on 23 kills and two aces as Bagunas and Marck Espejo absorbed Thailand’s full defensive focus. 

Late in the third set, Ordiales, along with substitutes Al-Bukharie Sali and back-up setter Eco Adajar, sparked a brief surge that cut the deficit to 20-22. Bagunas finally found space to attack, but Thailand calmly shut the door. 

Napadet Bhinijdee pushed the hosts to match point before Chaiwat Thungkham sealed the contest with a block on Ordiales.

Bagunas finished with 11 points on 10-of-22 attacking, while Espejo was limited to five points on 16 attempts. Lloyd Josafat provided resistance in the middle with eight points, including four blocks, but Alas’ 24 unforced errors proved too costly against a Thai side that committed only 10. Bhinijdee led the winners with 19 points, with Kissada Nilsawai adding 10.

Thailand now advances to the final to face three-time defending champion Indonesia, which outlasted Vietnam in a five-set thriller earlier in the day. 

For Alas Pilipinas, the campaign is not yet over. The Filipinos will regroup quickly for a bronze-medal showdown against Vietnam on Friday at 4 p.m. (Philippine time), determined to leave Bangkok with hardware — even if the dream of another historic final will have to wait.

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