Top Filipino junior hoops prospect steers high school to CESAFI 3-peat

MANILA, Philippines -- University of the Philippines-bound Jared Bahay achieved his final mission in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc., (CESAFI) before his much-awaited debut in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

Unarguably the country’s top high school player today, Bahay steered the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu to a three-peat with gritty 58-55 win over the University of Visayas in the thrilling CESAFI juniors finale at the Cebu Coliseum.

Bahay, who made an early commitment to the Fighting Maroons in the UAAP seniors with still a year left for the Magis Eagles, poured 14 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and a block in the winner-take-all duel.

It’s the seventh overall crown of the Rommel Rasmo-mentored Magis Eagles, tying their finals nemeses atop the league history for the most number of titles in the CESAFI juniors.

And Bahay, a former Gilas Pilipinas youth stalwart, played a huge part in that as he also earned the MVP plum for a fitting swan song to his legendary high school career in the Queen City of the South.

Bahay settled for nine points in Ateneo’s 62-54 Game 1 loss but he dropped a massive 25-point, 15-rebound performance in Game 2 before a masterclass in Game 3 to complete the Magis Eagles’ reverse sweep.

Last summer, Bahay towed the Ateneo de Cebu-backed Central Visayas to the Palarong Pambansa boys’ basketball gold medal after dethroning the powerhouse National Capital Region, represented by the multi-titled National U-Nazareth School.

The 18-year-old ace sizzled for 29 points highlighted by the go-ahead basket for an epic 77-73 Central Visayas victory.

With titles in Palaro and now CESAFI, Bahay is all set for a grand UAAP arrival with no less than a rising power in UP, which reached the UAAP finals in three straight seasons.

Bahay is expected to provide immediate impact in Season 87 as UP seeks redemption after a runner-up finish to La Salle.  

But for now, Bahay will shift his focus inside the classrooms to finish his high school education first with Ateneo de Cebu after fulfilling his dream on the hard court.