UP’s own Jacob stands out on defense

MANILA, Philippines — Call him the “Archer Stopper.”

Jacob Bayla once again rose to the occasion to save University of the Philippines’ title retention bid against La Salle, doing more than what the stat sheet reflected in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball finals last Sunday.

Bayla served as the biggest thorn on La Salle ace Jacob Cortez, limiting him to 6-of-15 shooting including a lockdown defense in the last possession as UP escaped with a 66-63 win to force a winner-take-all Game 3 before over 22,000 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena.

It was also Bayla who put the clamps on two-time UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao last season for the Season 87 crown – UP’s second in the last four seasons before barging into its fifth finals in a row.

His defense prompted pundits and fans to brand him as the “Archer Stopper,” outweighing his six points, five rebounds and a steal after seeing limited play against La Salle in their first three encounters – where they lost each game.

“I kind of struggled against La Salle in the last three games. I never really got to my spots and got my defense down so I just needed to prove myself that I could do it and nothing’s gonna stop me from guarding their best player,” said Bayla, a former Gilas youth standout, as he braces for one last stand against Cortez and company tomorrow at the Big Dome.

Known as a scorer in the United States and later on for Gilas, Bayla has turned into a defensive specialist on the big stage. He played 13 minutes and went scoreless in Game 1.

Forcing Cortez to a woeful 1-of-6 clip from downtown, Bayla saved his best for last by forcing La Salle’s top gun to give up the ball in their last play to Vhoris Marasigan, whose potential game-winning triple just rattled out.