University of the Philippines leaned on the ‘Maroon 5′ — plus transferee point guard Rey Remogat, Nigerian forward Francis Nnoruka, and Gani Stevens — to overcome a shaky start, winning six of its last seven games in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Yet amid the roster’s wealth of talent, Jacob Bayla’s brilliance often flies under the radar.
The sophomore forward, who endured a roller-coaster rookie campaign, has come full circle to become a key piece in the Fighting Maroons’ championship run in Season 87.
Slowly but surely, Bayla is proving his worth as UP’s X-factor. He has vowed to do “whatever it takes” in the team’s quest to defend its Season 88 title against perennial contenders like the DLSU Green Archers, NU Bulldogs, and UST Growling Tigers.
The 18-year-old from Norwalk, California, offered a glimpse of this determination with an all-around stat line of eight points, six rebounds, three steals, two assists, and one block in UP’s 89-75 victory over a surging Far Eastern University.
The win marked the Fighting Maroons’ perfect start to the second round, securing back-to-back victories.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“I’ll just keep on playing how I keep playing. For me, I just want to win, so whatever that takes to help the team win games, that’s what I’ll do,” Bayla said after the game Sunday evening at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.
“Just all glory to God. He really got this team through all the adversity with perseverance. Credit to my teammates for working really hard.”
Admitting to a shaky start to his sophomore year, the 6-foot-5 defensive ace is steadily gaining the confidence he needs to perform. And he’ll need that to guard some of the league’s brightest stars, including MVP frontrunner Mike Phillips, UST’s prized rookie Collins Akowe, and FEU’s sophomore guard Janrey Pasaol.
Beyond his own effort, Bayla credited his teammates, coaching staff, and the UP community — the same group to whom he’s dedicating his sophomore season — for helping him grow and elevate his game to a whole new level.
“I guess every game, my confidence is getting better, but it starts in practice. Just giving my all to the team and for the UP community. My confidence is getting higher,” the Norwalk-raised forward shared.
Head coach Goldwin Monteverde himself highlighted Bayla’s immeasurable impact. The mentor praised the young forward’s rare combination of effort and efficiency on both ends of the floor, his commitment to becoming a two-way force, and his knack for making the right plays within the team’s system.
“Very valuable for us. We always give importance sa ganyan na being able to fulfill yung role niya sa team and being able to play on both ends. Bihira sa player yung ganon na working hard sa depensa, sa opensa, and making good decisions within the team,” Monteverde said.
