Jared Bahay delivered his best scoring performance for Ateneo de Manila University on Saturday in their rivalry game against De La Salle University.
The 19-year-old rookie, highly regarded for his potential, posted a career-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, adding four assists despite committing three turnovers.
Despite Bahay’s efforts, the Blue Eagles couldn’t hold back the surging Green Archers, ultimately falling 80-65 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
While it was promising for head coach Tab Baldwin to see Bahay finally settling in and becoming the player he was recruited to be, the champion mentor challenged his point guard to take on a greater role.
“He’s better than he was in the beginning of the season and I wouldn’t say yet he’s becoming a better decision-maker. I just think he’s getting more comfortable at this level of competition and he’s showing what he’s capable of in the offensive event,” said the American-Kiwi coach.
“We need better leadership, we need better defense, and we need him to be a guy that leads his team rather than tries to carry his team because there are times where he’s trying to make the tough play and he shouldn’t be,” he continued.
Baldwin wants Bahay to be a point guard who shares the ball and elevates the Blue Eagles as a whole.
After Saturday’s game, which dropped Ateneo to 3-7 and seventh place, Bahay leads the team in both points (10.9) and assists (4.4).
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“I know he’s a tough kid, and I’m close to him. I really believe in him and I know he can take criticism, but that’s where he’s going to grow and evolve as a basketball player,” Baldwin shared.
“He’s going to be much better at becoming the type of guard that extracts better basketball from his whole team, not just from himself, and it’s tough for a young player to have that responsibility put on him at such an early stage.”
Baldwin has had the luxury of coaching good point guards on his team, mentioning Matt Nieto, SJ Belangel, and Forthsky Padrigao—three Eagles who more often than not made the right plays, whether it was spraying the ball or taking the shot.
However, he’s taking it easy on Bahay, who lacks a mentor figure in this young Ateneo squad, being thrown into the fire right away in his first year in the UAAP.
“Forthsky went through it, SJ Belangel went through it, Matt Nieto went through it, but none of them were featured freshman players. They had each other to learn from, and Jared doesn’t have that,” said the eighth-year tactician of the Blue Eagles.
“He’s having to kind of go into the kitchen where it’s hottest and try and learn, and he’s playing better, but we need a great point guard out of him, not just a good scorer in the point guard position.”
