JARED Bahay expected the boos.
They weren't as loud as assumed, especially considering his abrupt u-turn from his initial commitment to the University of the Philippines to his ultimate decision to remain in blue and white in Ateneo.
Instead, the jeers were just strong enough to drown out the drums when he entered the game for the Blue Eagles in their first 'Battle of Katipunan' opposite the Fighting Maroons on Saturday.
PHOTO: Ivy Ferrer
The maroon and green faithful didn't react too much, either, anytime he had the ball in his hands, nor when he hit his two shots in the first quarter.
Put simply, what he expected didn't come to be.
"Expected ko na yung it's gonna be maraming tao. Tinake ko lang yung challenge na binigay sa'kin. I didn't worry about my game. All I thought about was coach Tab's game plan," he said, referring to brilliant mentor Tab Baldwin.
The other thing Ateneo expected, though, became reality.
State U, as fully loaded as ever, took some time to get going and eventually did in the third quarter, where it increased its lead to as much as 18. The Blue Eagles neared to within eight with under five minutes remaining, only to see JD Cagulangan and Francis Lopez keep them at bay once and for all.
As per preseason projections, finals favorite UP dominated suddenly-rebuilding Ateneo.
Bahay and Co. did their darndest to keep up, of course, but this time, their modern-day rivals were, without a doubt, the better team.
Contrary to expectations, however, the 5-foot-11 Cebuano playmaker gave a good account of himself after he turned in subpar showings in the preseason - when compared to the play that thrust him into back-to-back No. 1 rankings in the National Basketball Training Center's annual list of top high school players.
Yes, he missed more field goals than he made, going 3-of-11 overall from the field, but still wound up with 13 points in 20 minutes of action.
Bahay also collected five rebounds and four assists, and would've had quite a few more if only Ateneo shot better, as it finished its first loss with a 28.8 percent field goal clip.
All in all, it was a promising outing for the 19 year old who, let's all remember, just played his first game on the big stage and under the bright lights of the UAAP.
"Based sa performance sa first game, for me, 'di pa ito yung laro ko. I was cramping up. I know I have the capability to do more," he said.
"I'll be professional on that. I'll be doing a better job sa recovery, hydration, and preparing."
With the 'Battle of Katipunan' also serving as his league debut, Bahay expected the boos from the crowd of the team he had spurned.
What took place, rather, was him giving his current squad and his longtime school one of the few reasons to cheer as it opened the season with a bitter defeat at the hands of their not so friendly neighbors.
Asked about his thoughts on finally playing in the UAAP, he answered: "Sobrang sarap. Nandito na'ko sa big stage, yung pinapangarap ko lang dati. I'll enjoy this season."
It's only going to get better from this - for both the Blue Eagles and its point guard of the present and the future.
2024-09-07T16:15:04Z dg43tfdfdgfd