Fil-Am UP guard Jacob Bayla earns Best 5 honors at Adidas Nations Camp
Jacob Bayla | Photo from jacobbayla/Instagram
Jacob Bayla’s breakout season with the UP Fighting Maroons didn’t end with a UAAP championship as it only set the stage for even greater heights.
The Filipino American guard, who played a role in UP’s triumph over De La Salle University in the UAAP Season 87 Finals, recently earned international recognition after being named to the Best 5 of the Adidas Nations Camp in Tokyo.
Bayla was the only non-local invitee to the exclusive event, and he made his presence felt from start to finish.
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True to his word of being assertive, he delivered a standout performance in Tokyo, leading his team with 15 points in the All-Star Game.
The camp featured some of Asia’s top prospects and was led by experienced coaches, including former professional players from the United States and Australia’s NBL. Amid high-level competition, Bayla’s all-around skill set made him a clear standout.
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His showing in Tokyo adds another feather to his cap following an impressive rookie year in the UAAP, where he was often tasked with defending some of the league’s best, including reigning MVP that season and now Goyang Sono Sky Gunners of the Korean Basketball League’s Kevin Quiambao. Bayla emerged as a key defensive anchor and reliable playmaker, helping the Fighting Maroons capture the title.
Earlier this year, Bayla also signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Adidas – a partnership that now seems even more fitting as he continues to shine on both national and international courts.
Standing at 6-foot-5, Bayla is a versatile wing who brings length, athleticism and poise to the court. Before joining the UP Fighting Maroons, he played for Valley Christian High School in California and was already making waves as a member of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth program.
In 2022, he proudly represented the Philippines as part of the Batang Gilas team in the FIBA U16 Asian Championship – a glimpse of the promise he’s now fulfilling.
