Leo Ordiales is ready to embrace a bigger role for Alas Pilipinas Men as he heads into his second Southeast Asian Games.
Fresh off a breakout run in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, the 22-year-old opposite spiker is expected to deliver added firepower alongside the team’s established 1-2 punch of Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo.
“Siguro naging mas matured sa paglalaro; mas marunong nang mag-handle ng pressure,” Ordiales said during the Alas Pilipinas send-off organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation last Saturday.
Ordiales barely saw action in his SEA Games debut in 2023, but this time, he enters Bangkok as a more polished and confident weapon — one whose growth over the past year has earned him a bigger spot in the rotation.
The 6-foot-6 National University standout showed his potential on the world stage, shaking off a forgettable debut before exploding for 21 points in Alas’ stunning upset of Egypt.
Ordiales matched that performance in their heartbreaking five-set loss to Iran, a result that came just short of a historic Round of 16 appearance.
That surge didn’t come by accident. Ordiales had been steadily gaining momentum leading up to the World Championship, including a Best Opposite Spiker award in the Southeast Asian V.League.
But he knows the SEA Games present a different challenge altogether, and he’s focused on sharpening the mental toughness needed to handle the pressure that comes with a bigger responsibility.
“Siguro pine-prepare ko na ‘yung sarili ko para sa mga tough games, tapos mga crucial games — kung paano ‘yung mindset na kailangan kong gawin. Kunwari pangit ‘yung start ng game, kung paano ako mag-a-adjust, paano ko ibabalik agad ‘yung laro ko. ‘Yun ‘yung mga ini-improve ko,” he said.
“Siguro sa’kin, kinakalma ko lang. Parang ‘di ko muna pine-pressure ‘yung sarili ko — bini-build ko muna kung paano ko iha-handle ‘yung ganung pressure.”
Alas are in Pool B and will face Myanmar on December 13 before taking on defending champion Indonesia on December 16.
#WATCH: After shining in #MWCH2025, Leo Ordiales promises an even more matured game for Alas Men’s #SEAGames2025 push 🇵🇭🏐#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/7WrlqgDGpG
📹 @jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/d6bEoVOa1e
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) December 6, 2025
