Playing through a tragedy is not easy. We’ve seen athletes play as their loved ones are battling illnesses or through the deaths of those close to their heart. Others, such as Jared Bahay, have had to play through a tragic incident that involved the loss of two teammates, Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia. 

To lose Adili and Baterbonia during a preseason camp for UAAP Season 89 may have been tough, especially since the game Bahay loved and the sport that brought them all together was a part of the tragedy. The uncertainty about playing in Season 89 must have weighed heavily on him and the rest of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, but when that was resolved, it was time to buckle down to work. And so far, Bahay has been playing the best basketball with the Blue Eagles. 

Kieffer Alas is currently leading Ateneo in scoring, but Bahay is currently scoring at an extremely efficient rate (55.6 percent shooting from behind the 3-point line and 70.6 percent field goal shooting overall). The torrid shooting was on display when the Blue Eagles took on the UP Fighting Maroons, as Bahay had no problems finding his points inside, though it wasn’t enough to stop the Maroons’ strong second half. The efficiency will likely go down later in the season, but this early development still indicates the strides Bahay has made. 

Bahay has been more patient not just with his own offense, but also with his playmaking. It’s evident that the game has slowed down for the 21-year old and Bahay has become attuned to how defenses cover him and his teammates. 

Aside from that, Bahay has also gotten used to the physicality that has affected his efficiency in previous years. Some of the best high school players become cautionary tales after failing to adjust to a more grown-up environment. The Cebuano has worked on getting stronger and as one of Ateneo’s leaders, he has had to face the physicality that comes with being a primary option. 

On top of this, Bahay and the rest of the Blue Eagles have also had to play through the social media noise largely stemming from the tragedy in Aurora. While there have been words of encouragement and support from the Ateneo community and even outside it, there remain some vile and uncalled for comments. But Bahay has been courageous in playing and controlling what he can control and that’s saying something compared to those who can only make noise from behind a screen. 

Whether or not the Ateneo Blue Eagles should be playing in UAAP Season 89 is now moot as two games into the campaign, the Blue Eagles are showing that they continue to march on. Jared Bahay will figure will be a much-talked about figure even despite what happened off court and three UAAP seasons in, he’s as ready as ever to respond to the challenge. The mission is still the same, but each game now carries a promise to fulfill for teammates who aren’t with him anymore.