A crucial void emerged for Alas Pilipinas Men when veteran setter Owa Retamar missed the first two games of the 2025 SEA V.League due to a minor illness.
The tournament’s opening leg took place from July 9 to 13 at the Candon City Arena.
Yet in adversity came opportunity, as the absence of Retamar paved the way for rookie national team setter Eco Adajar of De La Salle University to prove his worth against four of Southeast Asia’s top teams.
A model of the “stay ready” mentality, the former Lyceum of the Philippines University–Laguna standout showcased his potential throughout the five-day tournament.
He also bolstered his case for a spot on the final Alas Pilipinas roster for the upcoming 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship set for September 12 to 28 in the Philippines.
“Since nung first game, biglaan talaga [pagpasok ko sa Alas] kasi nagka-injury si Owa [Retamar]. Ready naman ako lagi as a setter,” Adajar shared after the Nationals’ straight-sets loss to Indonesia on Sunday evening.
“Nung una, hindi ko talaga ine-expect na kukunin ako sa pool pero nandyan na yung opportunity so grinab ko na for more exposure sa bagong system. Siyempre, national team na yan ‘eh,” he added.
But beyond staying mentally sharp, Adajar credited his seamless adjustment to the support system surrounding him — led by Italian head coach Angiolino Frigoni and Retamar, one of the country’s most decorated setters.
Despite being sidelined, Retamar continued to guide Adajar, mentoring him through the pressures of international play and helping him understand the demands of the national team system.
“Coming from the local league dito sa Philippines, super iba talaga kapag international na. With the guidance naman of our coaches na gamay yung sistema ng other countries, natutulungan naman kami,” the 23-year-old setter said.
“Yung experience ko naman coming as a rookie sa Alas, ‘di naman naging mahirap dahil sa guidance ng mga coaches at ni Owa,” he continued.
Now making his presence felt on the international stage, Adajar — recently acquired by Criss Cross in the Spikers’ Turf — brings with him the same core value that shaped his collegiate career: the Lasallian spirit.
Though he and the Green Archers settled for back-to-back fourth-place finishes during his UAAP stint, Adajar, who pursued a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship at La Salle, drew strength from the grit and discipline instilled by head coach Jose Roque and star hitter Noel Kampton.
“Coming from a collegiate team with Noel [Kampton] and coach Jose [Roque], siguro nadala ko dito is yung Lasallian mentality namin na laging hindi pwedeng sumuko,” he concluded.
#WATCH: Eco Adajar shares how he’s learning the ropes of international volleyball from mentor Owa Retamar 🏐🇵🇭
📹 @ernesttuazon /Tiebreaker Times#SEAVLeague pic.twitter.com/n86qFYDNpH
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) July 13, 2025
