Ateneo set to defend World University Basketball Series title
Ateneo Blue Eagles. –World College Basketball Sequence Picture
MANILA, Philippines — The Ateneo Blue Eagles are out to defend their crown within the expanded World College Basketball Sequence from August 10 to 13 at Yoyogi Nationwide Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin thinks the eight-team league provides the Blue Eagles a chance to enhance their crew forward of their title-retention bid within the UAAP Season 86 males’s basketball event later this 12 months.
“Nicely, as I say when individuals ask me in regards to the UAAP crown, we’re not actually defending something,” stated Baldwin. “We now have to go there for the twin function of taking part in our hearts out in representing the varsity and the nation, however we additionally want to make sure the event of our crew, system, and mixtures for the UAAP.
“Anytime we’re within the low season, we even have that twin function, and it consists of profitable. We now have to make it a behavior, and it begins with the preseason,” he added.
When Ateneo dominated the event final 12 months, it solely battled three groups–Universitas Pelitas Harapan (125-39), Chengchi (88-78), and Tokai (68-59)–with Kai Ballungay rising because the event MVP.
Ateneo Blue Eagles within the World College Basketball Sequence. -RAKUTEN SPORTS
The sphere has now doubled with Japan’s Tokai College and Chinese language Taipei’s Nationwide Chengchi College additionally returning to the competitors together with USA’s Radford College (NCAA Division I), Japan’s Hakuoh College, Australia’s College of Sydney, Korea College, and Indonesia’s Perbanas Institute.
“I’m completely happy. I would like as robust a contest as we are able to get. We don’t know the caliber of the groups, nevertheless it appears on paper that the competitors can be harder,” Baldwin stated.
The Blue Eagles can even play an exhibition recreation on August 10 in opposition to a collection of gamers from the All Japan College Basketball Federation.
Ateneo will kick off its marketing campaign on August 11, taking over College of Sydney with the winner advancing to play in opposition to both Perbanas Institute or Hakuoh College. Radford will play in opposition to Korea U within the first spherical, whereas Tokai will face Chengchi.
The shedding groups will transfer on to the classification part.
“We’re going there to win and achieve expertise for the UAAP season,” stated Baldwin stated.
The Japan invitational event was a part of Ateneo’s build-up when it reclaimed the title in opposition to College of the Philippines, dominating in a do-or-die Recreation 3 of the UAAP Season 85 Finals.
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