Team ABGF

VJ Baruc🫶💯✨

𝐕𝐉 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐜: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦

𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧: 𝐂𝐞𝐛𝐮 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲

For 𝐕𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 “𝐕𝐉” 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐜, trading the green and gold for the blue and gold of the University of Cebu Webmasters is more than simply changing jerseys.
It is the beginning of a new chapter. A new challenge and perhaps the biggest mission of his basketball journey so far.
After spending the previous season with the University of San Carlos, Baruc enters CESAFI Season 2026 with experience under his belt and a purpose that is unmistakably clear: help bring the championship crown to UC.

The transition, however, did not happen overnight. Having worn green and gold since his high school years, Baruc admits that putting on a different set of colors initially felt strange. “At first, it’s cringe,” he jokingly recalled.

But behind the humor is a player who understands what this new chapter demands. He did not come to UC simply to wear a different jersey. He came to win. A Basketball Journey That Started at Five.

Baruc's love for basketball began when he was only five years old, when his father introduced him to the game.
What started as a simple introduction eventually grew into a passion that would shape much of his life.

His father became a steady presence throughout his development, bringing him to training sessions, encouraging him through difficult days, and helping him stay committed when the road became challenging.

That influence helped shape Baruc not only as a basketball player but also as a competitor who understands the value of perseverance.

As he grew older, another figure became a major source of inspiration: Kobe Bryant. Bryant's relentless competitiveness, discipline, determination, and commitment to excellence resonated with Baruc and gave him an example of the mindset required to become better every day.

Years later, that influence continues to reflect in the way he approaches the game. Experience Meets Opportunity. Baruc is no stranger to the intensity of the CESAFI stage.

His previous stint with the University of San Carlos gave him valuable experience in one of Cebu's most competitive collegiate basketball environments. Among his most memorable accomplishments was helping USC secure a third place finish in CESAFI Season 2023.

Now, he brings those lessons to UC. As a point guard, Baruc knows his responsibility extends far beyond putting points on the scoreboard. His game is built around creating opportunities. He takes pride in finding teammates, setting them up for good looks, controlling the tempo, and helping the team find its rhythm.

For Baruc, making the game easier for the players around him is just as important as scoring himself. But this season, his responsibility has grown. He wants to become a leader. He wants to motivate. He wants to keep his teammates believing and above all, he wants to help the Webmasters win. Trust the Process. Trust Each Other.

Baruc's objective for Season 2026 is simple: win as many games as possible and ultimately win the championship.

But he understands that reaching that goal begins with something more fundamental. Trust. “Trust the coaches, trust the system, trust each other.” For a point guard, that philosophy carries particular weight.

The position demands communication, decision making, composure, and the ability to bring teammates together.

Baruc understands that no individual player can carry a team to a championship alone.

Titles are built collectively through discipline, sacrifice, accountability, and belief. That is why Baruc wants his impact to extend beyond the statistics sheet.

He wants to be the teammate who keeps everyone motivated when things get difficult. The voice that encourages the group. The player who remains composed when pressure begins to build.

Because championship teams are not defined only by how they perform when everything is going right. They are defined by how they respond when things go wrong.

Basketball will inevitably bring adversity. There will be missed shots, turnovers, tough losses, pressure filled moments, and games that do not unfold according to plan.

Baruc's answer to those moments is simple: “Mind over matter.” For him, difficult situations are temporary. What matters is maintaining composure, learning from mistakes, moving forward, and continuing to believe in the process.
That mindset could become one of his most important weapons as UC pursues its championship ambition.

Because Baruc is preparing not only for the easy games. He is preparing for the moments when the pressure is at its highest and every possession matters.

Away from basketball, Baruc describes himself as a quiet person. Reserved at first, he says he tends to open up once he becomes comfortable with the people around him.

And while basketball occupies an important part of his life today, he is also looking beyond the hardwood.
Baruc dreams of becoming an entrepreneur and building a good life beyond basketball. His business, STG, is part of that long term vision.

But for now, there is an unfinished mission demanding his full attention. A CESAFI championship.

“Being a UC Webmaster means pushing yourself to your limits.” Those words perhaps best capture the challenge Baruc has accepted. He knows that talent alone will not be enough. It will take commitment. It will take sacrifice. It will take trust and it will take the willingness to push beyond the limits of comfort.

From green and gold to blue and gold, the colors have changed. But Baruc's competitive fire remains. The point guard from Cebu City enters CESAFI Season 2026 carrying the lessons of his past, the expectations of his new team, and a championship dream that refuses to fade. There is a bigger stage ahead. A new team to lead. A new identity to embrace. And a new opportunity to make his mark.

Someday, Baruc hopes to build a good life as an entrepreneur and create a future beyond basketball.

But first, there is unfinished business. First, there is UC. First, there is a CESAFI championship. From green and gold to blue and gold, VJ Baruc is ready to fight for it.

Mr mvp Ryan Lim congrats✨🙌

Finals MVP

Ryan Lim Abram Badana ✨💖

Champions
Team Alt Rock