Bahay : Championship promise to Magis Eagles fulfilled after team bags Cesafi hoops trophy

Jared Bahay during the awarding of the Cesafi high school basketball. | Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Phenomenal Cebuano point guard Jared Bahay fulfilled his promise to help his alma mater, the Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles win the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) high school basketball title in his last year. 

Bahay ended his chapter as a Magis Eagle with a total of two Cesafi high school basketball titles, and two MVP plums. 

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic prevented the possibility that Bahay could’ve won more than two titles in Cesafi.

READ: Cesafi: Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles are high school champions anew

Bahay fulfills championship promise

Still, he fulfilled his last promise as the team captain of the Magis Eagles to help them win a title before suiting up with the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in the UAAP next school year. 

Bahay finished his last remaining Cesafi game with 14 points, a fitting last dance for the country’s top high school basketball player. 

“Of course, it’s my last year, dili gyud nako makalimtan, ug lisud gyud kaayo para nako makab-ot ni nga title because everyone’s expecting highly of you, everyone’s coming for you, we just work hard and promise ourselves to do our best and get the championship,” said Bahay. 

(Of course, it’s my last year, I cannot forget this, and it was a difficult title to reach because everyone is expecting highly of you, everyone is coming for you, we just work hard and promise ourselves to do our best and get the championship.)

READ: Rommel Rasmo’s ‘sweet’ victory: Magis Eagles secure 7th CESAFI title

MVP plum a bonus

Bahay reiterated that winning the season “Most Valuable Player” plum was just a bonus for him since it was a collective effort for the entire team to finish one of their most grueling seasons with the Cesafi title. 

The Magis Eagles lost four times in Cesafi but still went on to win the high school title. 

According to Bahay’s head coach Rommel Rasmo, this was the first time to happen to them where they started their title retention bid with a blowout loss to the USJ-R Baby Jaguars and went on losing to the CEC Dragons. 

In the semifinals, the UCLM Webmasters forced them to a do-or-die game after the former took game one.

READ: Jared Bahay steers Ateneo de Cebu to victory in Game 2

Magis Eagles beat UV Baby Lancers

The Magis Eagles went on to beat the UV Baby Lancers in a tightly-contested Best-of-Three finals series where they lost Game 1, 62-54, but bounced back in Game 2 with a 80-65 win, with Bahay erupting for 25 points. 

“Winning the MVP for me wasn’t that important, what’s more important for me was to win the title for our school, especially it’s my last playing year,” said Bahay. 

“It’s my last playing year, of course I’m so happy, I didn’t let our community down, they came out here to cheer for us, even our president moved their Christmas party just to support us, I’m very thankful.”

When asked if he’s ready to compete in the UAAP, Bahay admitted that he has a lot of improvement to do. 

“To be honest layo pa, I need to work hard, I have a lot of improving to do,” Bahay said. 

READ: UV outplays SHS-AdC, takes game one of Cesafi high school finals

Other achievements of Bahay

Bahay had more than just two Cesafi titles in his storied high school career. He donned the Philippines’ tri-colors for Batang Gilas Under-16 squad in 2022. 

He went on to reach the Division 1 semifinals of 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals, gaining a lot of attention from the entire nation after his epic performances on the court.

Bahay became also part of Central Visayas’ gold medal win the Palarong Pambansa in Marikina last July. 

READ: After a five-year wait, Lions reclaim old NCAA throne and are roaring louder than before