Apparently, as cliché as it sounds, “Height is Might” has always been the golden standard in basketball. However, La Salle’s Kean Baclaan, Ateneo’s Jared Bahay, NU’s Steve Nash Enriquez, and UP’s Noy Remogat are now breaking barriers in UAAP Season 88, who, despite their height, have been the top dogs of their team. Unfortunately, history hasn’t been that kind to these “too small” point guards, making everyone wonder—is there still hope for these players in the pro scene after having stellar college careers?
What’s Next for Bahay, Baclaan, Remogat, and Enriquez?
Noy Remogat shook the nation after announcing that he was transferring from UE to UP, a move nobody anticipated. However, the 5-foot-10 guard struggled in his first few games as a Fighting Maroon and even looked like a bust. However, things slowly started changing, and after only averaging 2.5 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist per game, Remogat showed a dramatic turnaround after dropping 21 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds against his former team, the UE Red Warriors. It’s only the beginning for the season 86 Mythical First Team member, but could the hype for one of the best scorers in UAAP translate even after his varsity days?
On the other hand, Jared Bahay, the 5-foot-8 star point guard from Cebu, is currently making waves across the league as Ateneo’s main man in crunch time. Despite his smaller frame, Bahay is actually unstoppable on offense. Ask any Ateneo fans, and they’ll always say to give Bahay the last shot, even with Kymani Ladi on the floor. Nobody expected the Cebuano rising star to be this good. Before season 88 started, if you told basketball fans that Bahay is the best point guard in the league, you’d be laughed at. But it seems that the freshman is indeed the best in his position right now. He’s logging 10.6 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game in his first year in Ateneo, but the most impressive part of his game is how he consistently hits those big shots in the clutch. The Blue Eagles are handing Bahay the keys to their house just
Another guy we have to look into is another elite Cebuano athlete, Steve Nash Enriquez. Enriquez first gained national attention almost a decade ago as a 15-year-old standout from Cebu. Eight years later, he’s already playing his final season with the NU Bulldogs. Just like his namesake, Steve Nash Enriquez is an elite passer and a walking highlight reel. The problem is, he never physically grew and only stood at 5 feet and 6 inches. In history, the only two guys standing at 5’6’’ who were ever drafted in the PBA are Emman Monfort and Anjo Caram, who both had decent professional careers. With him not being a key piece in National University anymore, chances are, the 23-year-old point guard from the Queen City of the South would just return to his roots and make the most out of his popularity in Ligang Labas competitions.
Lastly, the most intriguing “too small” point guard right now is the 5-foot-7 Kean Baclaan. Baclaan is already in his third year in the UAAP, but it’s only his first season with the La Salle Green Archers after spending his first two years with National University. Although no one can deny he’s one of the best college players in the nation, he does have a very controversial basketball career so far. Recently, his mom shared online that Gilas Pilipinas is eyeing the 21-year-old rising star as the next National Team point guard. It was absurd and maybe delusional for some, but not entirely impossible considering that Gilas needs a reliable floor general. It may be laughable, but at least there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel of Baclaan—that is, if he hangs his green jersey in the rafters after season 88.
So, to answer the question: Yes, there’s still hope for our shorter kings. They are already household names, and they have the talent to compete, so they could always go and try their luck in the PBA. If not, they could still grind from the bottom up, like the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), Pilipinas Super League (PSL), or just try to make as much money as they can while playing for commercial teams, Ligang Labas, or Inter-City competitions.
Lest we forget, Johnny “The Flying A” Abarrientos was only 5-foot-7, while L.A. Tenorio and Jimmy Alapag both only stood at 5 feet and 9 inches, all of whom became PBA legends, and at some point, brought honor to the Philippines on the international stage. They also went on to become the best point guards in history. Honestly, what’s stopping Noy Remogat, Jared Bahay, Kean Baclaan, and Steve Nash Enriquez from doing the same, if they also have what it takes to bring it to the next level after their outstanding college careers?
