Si Baks

by  Jonaxx

Photo by Super Series

To fight even when the odds are stacked against you.

Rheyjhey Ortouste, the man behind the No. 4 jersey, stood on the sepak takraw court like a wall. One that bore every impact, every fast strike, and every soaring ball. But even walls have their cracks, and in a crucial game during International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF) Sepak Takraw World Cup Kuala Lumpur 2024, it seemed that Rheyjhey's defenses were being tested to their limits. 

On the opposite side was the powerhouse Korean No. 10 Spiker, a threat for Ortouste known for his thunderous spikes that seemed impossible to predict, let alone block.

Every time the ball arched into the air, it became a question of "Who will falter first?"

Both players, Rheyjhey and his Korean counterpart, pushed each other to the edge, trading blows across the net like seasoned warriors locked in an endless duel. 

But there was one moment that stood out—a moment that revealed Rheyjhey's grit. The Korean Spiker was on fire, sending shot after shot right in Rheyjhey's direction. Most balls slipped past Rheyjhey’s blind spots, firing through angles he couldn’t see, his back turned at times, unable to adjust in time. The frustration of missing those blocks was visible, like cracks spreading across the wall of his confidence. Yet he kept trying—kept diving, kept moving, determined not to let his team down.

Then, it happened. The ball soared again, but this time, Rheyjhey was out of position—his back facing the net, with no chance to react properly. But in a split-second decision, Rheyjhey did the unthinkable: he jumped backward and threw out his foot in a blind block. No one saw it coming. The ball met his foot midair, deflecting with perfect timing, and flew right back over the net. Point, Philippines.

Even with you facing behind, even when you can’t see what’s coming next, you keep playing. Because in sepak takraw—and in life—the fight isn’t over until the ball is not landing, until it stops moving.