John Vic de Guzman vows PH men’s volleyball team won’t cower come 2021 SEAG

John Vic de Guzman still vividly remembers the historic semifinals clash between the Philippines and Thailand during the 2019 SEA Games where the Filipino spikers dethroned the then-reigning four-time champion Thais for the silver medal.

During the cardiac game at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, the 6-foot-2 skipper out of College of St. Benilde recalled that the opposing team was mocking them, which pushed them to bring the game to a deciding fifth set.

“Kasi noong pagpasok ko, tinatawanan nila kami. Sabi ko ‘humanda lang kayo, ‘pag kami  nakadikit sa inyo,'” shared de Guzman, a former NCAA MVP,  in Chino Trinidad's '24 Oras' report on Thursday.

“‘Yung turning point ng fifth set, lamang sila pero hindi pa rin sumuko ‘yung heart ng Pilipino na nandoon kami, lalaban kami.”

They won the game after mainstay Bryan Bagunas nailed the game-winning spike, 17-25, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25, 17-15, putting an end to a 42-year finals drought for the men’s squad in SEAG. And although they bowed to eventual gold medalist Indonesia, de Guzman said it was still a victory seeing the home crowd cheer for them.

But for the 27-year-old spiker, they want to exceed the country’s expectation come the 2021 edition of the biennial meet in Hanoi, Vietnam late this year.

“Bibigay namin ‘yung 100 percent namin,” he vowed.

“Dodoblehin pa namin at magtitiwala kami sa isa’t isa para ma-feel ng mga Pilipino na kahit nag-pandemic, hindi kami susuko sa laban na to.”

The nationals have already named the pool where head coach Dante Alinsunurin will pick his wards come the 2021 SEAG this November. Aside from de Guzman, 12 other members of the silver medal team last SEAG are still part of the pool.

Mainstays Bagunas, Jessie Lopez, Joshua Retamar, Mark Alfafara, Marck Espejo, Josh Umandal, Rex Intal, Kim Malabunga, Francis Saura, Ish Polvorosa, Jack Kalingking and Ricky Marcos made it to the pool following a three-day tryout last month.

Completing the pool are Kim Dayadante, Angelo Almedras, Ysay Marasigan, Joeven Dela Vega, John Paul Bugaoan, Lloyd Josafat, and Manuel Sumanguid.

“Pinagpe-pray namin na sana dumating yung time na mabigyan kami ng chance at dumating noong 2019 SEA Games, nabigyan po kami ng chance,” he said.

“At hindi rin namin ineexpect na yung four-time champion sa Southeast Asia ay natalo namin.” —Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News