Jacob Bayla stepped up as UP's defensive stopper once again, holding Jacob Cortez in check to help the Fighting Maroons force a winner-take-all Game 3 in the UAAP Season 88 Finals.
Last year, it was Kevin Quiambao. This year, it’s Jacob Cortez.
Once again, Jacob Bayla embraced the toughest assignment on the floor—and once again, the UP guard delivered when it mattered most.
Tasked with slowing down La Salle’s go-to scorer, Bayla hounded Cortez all game long, limiting him to 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting as the Fighting Maroons eked out a 66–63 win in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball Finals on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“You know, it’s a hard thing. He’s been really good. He’s a really good player,” Bayla said of Cortez.
“Last three games, he had over 20 points. So, I just told myself that, you know, I’ll try to guard him and try to do my best. Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes to win, I’ll do it.”
Embracing the moment
Bayla said his mindset on the Cortez matchup was shaped even before Game 2, drawing inspiration from a message sent by his mother.
“I heard, 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,” he shared.
“So, I just wanted to embrace everything and embrace all the adversity and all the challenges that come with the Finals. It’s a big atmosphere. My mom, this game is for my mom.”
Jacob Bayla guards Jacob Cortez in UP's Game 2 victory over La Salle. | Photo: UAAP
The assignment wasn’t unfamiliar territory for Bayla, who spent the season guarding some of the league’s best guards in practice.
“Well, I guard Harold and Raylan every day. So, that, I think, gets me better,” he said.
“They always push me. They’re my kuyas. For the last year, I want to give them a good send-off. So, I really look up to my kuyas and my idols, Raylan and Harold.”
[ALSO READ: UAAP: Jacob Bayla ties everything together for surging UP with solid two-way play]
All eyes on the winner-take-all Game 3
With the series now headed to a winner-take-all finale for the third straight year, Bayla expects La Salle to respond—but remains focused on sticking to the plan.
“I know they’re going to make adjustments, but we have momentum,” he said. “I’m just sticking to the game plan.”
Game 3 is set on Wednesday, December 17, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[ALSO READ: The UP-DLSU Rivalry: Looking back on high-stakes showdowns since UAAP Season 84]
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.