Jonah Sabete showed out against the tall Beijing BAIC Motor in the Petro Gazz Angels' five-set defeat in the 2025 AVC Women's Champions League quarterfinals.
Despite falling just short of a massive upset, Jonah Sabete and the Petro Gazz Angels found something to smile about in their five-set thriller against Chinese powerhouse Beijing BAIC Motor in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League quarterfinals.
Sabete delivered 15 points in the hard-fought 29-31, 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 12-15 loss at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig on Friday, April 25 — a match that saw the Angels push one of the tournament favorites to the limit.
“Actually, hindi rin namin inaasahan na aabot ng five sets,” Sabete admitted during the post-game press conference. “Sabi rin ni Brooke [Van Sickle] and also Gia [Day], it’s really about working point by point, every set.”
“‘Yung last game namin, we didn’t enjoy it because we lost focus. So this time, sabi namin, ‘China na ‘to, let’s just enjoy the game.’”
And enjoy they did. Playing with composure and joy, the Angels stunned BAIC Motor by taking the second and third sets before the Chinese club rallied back behind its imposing frontline.
“Matangkad talaga sila,” Sabete laughed. “Nung nakita ko pa lang sila sa lobby, sabi ko, ‘Paano lulusot palo ko dito?’ But at least kahit papano nakalusot.”
With Chinese blockers towering over the net, Sabete shared the in-game adjustments they had to make, following the instructions of head coach Koji Tsuzurabara.
“Coach Koji told me hindi uubra ‘yung hard ball or babaon. Kailangan pa-check ball o pa-out. First set pa lang, seven blocks agad sila sa amin, so ang advice niya: habaan na lang yung palo.”
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The Angels may have missed out on a semifinal slot, but their spirited performance, capped off a promising international campaign, especially after their PVL All-Filipino championship victory.
"At least kahit paano, umabot kami ng five sets," Sabete said with a smile. "This time, we made sure to enjoy every moment."