Bryan Bagunas reached another milestone after adding the Japan SV. League title to his collection of overseas success.
He made history as the first Filipino volleyball star to win the coveted men’s Japanese title after playing a vital role for the Osaka Bluteon’s dramatic best-of-three series comeback over the dethroned Suntory Sunbirds on Sunday.
Although spending his time on the bench in the decider, Bagunas earned a championship in a successful return to Japan after Osaka swept Suntory, 25-22, 25-20, 25-18, in a sweet finals rematch payback.
Japanese national team star Yuji Nishida led Osaka with 15 points he capped by landing the championship-clinching ace. Cuban spiker Miguel Angel Lopez added 19 points for the Bluteon.
The Alas Pilipinas star played only one game in the series.
Bagunas scored two points off the bench as the Bluteon dropped the series opener, 24-25, 25-22, 16-25, 23-25, last Friday.
Osaka fought back in Game 2 with a hard-earned 13-25, 25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 15-9, escape to force the decider.
It was Bagunas’ third overseas club title after a back-to-back championship for Win Streak in the Taiwan Top Volleyball League where he also copped the 2023 Most Valuable Player award.
The 28-year-old National University (NU) product started his Japan club league career with the Oita Miyoshi back in 2019 and played for the franchise until 2022.
Bagunas joined fellow NU graduate Jaja Santiago (Sachi Minowa) in the list of successful Filipinos in the Japan top flight league. Santiago helped Osaka Marvelous win the women’s crown in 2024-2025 season.
Another former NU ace, Alyssa Solomon, made it to the finals of the women’s division but settled for silver for Osaka Marvelous.
