Bryan Bagunas faces a challenging chapter in his career as he continues to recover from a left knee injury sustained during the 2024 Men’s Southeast Asia V.League.
While the road to recovery is hard, the 27-year-old remains optimistic about his eventual return to the volleyball court.
Bagunas made a surprise appearance at Cignal’s convincing straight-sets victory over Savouge in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference semifinals, supporting from the sidelines.
Despite being present, he politely declined to delve into the specifics of his injury.
“Ayun, therapy muna ako saka palakas muna ulit bago bumalik sa court kasi syempre 100 percent bago bumalik ng court,” shared Bagunas.
The injury occurred during a jump serve attempt in the final play of the fourth set against Indonesia last August.
That match marked a tough outing for the Philippines, but the loss was compounded by the sight of Bagunas limping off the court—a devastating blow for a team that has relied heavily on his offensive prowess.
While his return to competitive play remains without a definitive timetable, Bagunas remains engaged with the national team. Alas Pilipinas is gearing up for the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, set to take place in Manila, and Bagunas is doing his part to stay involved.
“Minsan nagkikitakita kami, maayos naman. Nagpaplano na magsimula ulit kasi world championship ‘yung pinag-uusapan, kailangan maaga mag-umpisa para mapaghandaan nang maayos,” he said.
The injury also sidelined Bagunas from Win Streak’s campaign in the Top Volleyball League.
Bagunas played a pivotal role in the team’s back-to-back championships in the 2022-23 season and was even crowned MVP.
Unsurprisingly, the news of his injury was a blow to his mother club. However, they have stood by Bagunas, emphasizing that his health comes first.
“Ayun, medyo na-frustrate sila kasi nga na-injured ako. Pero siyempre ‘di naman ‘to nga ine-expect, wala namang may gusto,” Bagunas admitted.
“So ayun, sabi magpahinga muna ako dito at magpalakas ulit. Nag-aantay lang naman sila dun, once na okay na babalik ako ulit,” he added.
For Bagunas, the focus now is on therapy and rebuilding his strength.
