Japanese players whoop it up after beating Iran in the finals of the Asian Volleyball Men’s Championship Sunday, 19-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22. (Photo by BOB DUNGO JR.)

If its recent finish in the15th Asian Senior Men’s volleyball championship is a gauge, the RP volleyball team has a lot of catching up to do to be competitive in the coming Laos Southeast Asian Games in December.

The RP team, which was only formed four months ago, finished a dismal 15th in the 18-team tourney after losing six matches and winning only via default against Sri Lanka.

The Philippines is far behind Indonesia, the defending 2007 SEAG champion, which finished sixth after losing to Kazakhstan, 25-18, 22-25, 25-10, 25-17.

With RP’s dismal showing, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping concedes that there is a need to improve on the recruitment of athletes, who could match the height and skills of the neighboring countries.

“Kulang pa rin,” Angping said. “We need to recruit more talents if we want to catch up with other countries in terms of skills.”

Angping said strengthening the recruitment program, then developing the talents of the athletes must be taken in consideration first before the athletes can be sent to international competitions.

“Iyon dapat muna. Even if we give them funding for foreign competitions abroad, kulang pa rin,” Angping said.

The RP team, which never had any international exposures until the Asian meet, saw the big improvement of some neighboring Southeast Asian countries especially the lowly Myanmar, which finished a surprised10th after dumping India, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16.

The Filipinos lost to Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand in the classification phase.

Vietnam, the silver medalist in the2007 SEAG, settled for 12th after bowing to Lebanon, 25-23, 26-24, 25-22, in the battle for 11th place, while Thailand, the bronze medalist in the biennial meet two years ago, finished 13th after downing Qatar, 25-17, 26-24, 25-21.

Powerhouse Japan nailed its seventh title via a 19-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22 win over vastly-improved Iran on Monday.

Japan’s victory somehow erased the stigma of their loss in the finals in Jakarta, Indonesia two years ago.

Tatsuya Fukuzawa, who blasted 19 hits and three blocks, was named the Most Valuable Player.

Korea wound up third after escaping past China, 25-23, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, where three of its players conspired for six individual awards.

Kim Yo-han clinched the Best Scorer, Best Server and Most Popular Player awards, Han Sun-soo won the Best Server and Best Setter plum, and Yeo Oh-Hyun took the Best Libero and Best Receiver titles.