First-year players Kristian Porter and Jared Bahay tune out the noise as they lead the rebuilding Ateneo Blue Eagles in UAAP Season 87.
When playing for a school as storied and historic as Ateneo, there is a lot of expectations placed on a basketball player’s shoulders. When you’re a highly-regarded rookie, it makes it all the more difficult.
But for Kristian Porter and Jared Bahay, who are among the players expected to lead the Blue Eagles in the coming years, they’re taking the pressure and expectations as part of the job as they make their journey into the UAAP.
The once highly-successful Ateneo program is now under a rebuilding phase, with the Blue Eagles currently sporting a 2-6 record through eight games in Season 87.
As expectations mount for the Blue Eagles and with more attention going to the rookie duo, both players are looking inward into the system and the Ateneo way.
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Porter, in particular, even deals with familiar expectations — as his brother Kris was a two-time UAAP champion with Ateneo.
“Pressure is never gonna go away, especially being a rookie, playing heavy minutes but I don't really let it get to my head,” Porter said after a double-double performance in Ateneo’s win over NU on Sunday.
“Especially [since] coach Tab [Baldwin], all the coaches, and teammates, they put their trust in me so I don't really feel the pressure because I know they're behind me they got my back every game, [along with] the Ateneo community. So how I handled that pressure was I looked at it to push me beyond my limits.”
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Bahay, meanwhile, is a homegrown product of the Ateneo system — playing for Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu during his high school years. Though straying for a while from the Blue Eagles’ nest with his stint in UP, Bahay said that he embraced his role with the Katipunan-based team.
“Last night I saw a post that says pressure is a privilege. So that's it. Accept ko lang yun kahit rookies kami may duties kami sa team,” Bahay said.
“We're gonna bring this forward to our coming games and we're gonna play it game by game. Well, I'm really thankful to be put in this position,” he added.
Now with eight games under their belts, Porter, Bahay, and the rest of the Blue Eagles are hoping their win over NU will be a harbinger of things to come in Season 87.
They battle the UST Growling Tigers next when they meet at the Tigers’ den at UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday, October 19.