Jacob Bayla has always thrived under pressure.
First came his freshman year heroics in the University of the Philippines’ UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball championship run, where he successfully defended two-time MVP Kevin Quiambao.
Now, with his pivotal role in the Fighting Maroons’ current title defense, the sophomore forward has consistently risen to the occasion.
In the high-stakes Game 2 of the Finals against La Salle, Bayla once again carried the immense responsibility of guarding the Green Archers’ top scorer, Jacob Cortez.
Cortez had been on a five-game scoring tear, averaging 19.4 points per outing and lighting up the Bulldogs with a 29-point performance that set the stage for this Finals showdown.
But Bayla, drawing inspiration from his mother’s voice message delivered from halfway across the globe, embraced the challenge with poise.
“Before the game, I heard my mom — she did a voice message to me. She was just like, ‘Don’t be in the moment, be the moment,’” Bayla told reporters after a stellar defensive display in front of 22,412 fans at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
His performance was crucial in UP’s narrow 66-63 victory, forcing a do-or-die Game 3 this Wednesday, December 17, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“I just wanted to embrace everything: the adversity, the challenges that come with the Finals in a big atmosphere. This game is for my mom,” he added.
Defending the opponent’s best player is not new to Bayla.
Since stepping foot in Diliman in the summer of 2024, he has honed his craft guarding seasoned players and seniors like Harold Alarcon and Reyland Torres in practice.
“I guard Harold and Reyland every day, so that makes me better. They always push me, and they’re my Kuyas. For their last year, I want to give them a good send-off. I really look up to my Kuya and my idols in Harold and Reyland,” Bayla said.
Time and again, Bayla has proven that a player does not need to score the most points or make highlight-reel plays to shine.
His relentless defense, strategic play, and dedication to his team’s championship pursuit exemplify the heart of a true Maroon.
“Like I always say, I am just doing my job. Whatever the coach has me do, I am always ready. I want to win, I want to win the championship, I want to win everything,” he remarked.
“I just looked up in the crowd today, thinking about being a kid dreaming of playing in front of 20,000 people. That’s a big accomplishment, and I am really excited about what the future has in store.”
Bayla’s journey shows that in basketball, sometimes the quietest hero — the one doing the hard, unglamorous work — can be the player who keeps a championship dream alive.
#WATCH: MOTHER KNOWS BEST
Jacob Bayla shares what his mother Eve told him prior to Game 2 of the #UAAPSeason88 Finals ✊🏀#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/eb0VdGemjB
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/oASaxfUoAp
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) December 14, 2025
