Beyond basketball, Ateneo coach hopes to mold respectable professionals
Josh Lazaro (No. 16) slams one dwelling for what proved to be the marginal level within the final 52.1
seconds of a 70-69 win over the Japan U-21 group. —WORLD UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL SERIES
Tab Baldwin is making it no secret that he’s at Ateneo to make champion groups out of each batch of Blue Eagles he coaches whereas on the similar time making ready them for profitable skilled careers.
“That’s the position of universities—to create, mildew professionals,” Baldwin advised the Inquirer on Thursday evening after a 70-69 win over a Japanese Underneath-21 choice at Yoyogi Nationwide Stadium, right here the place he performed his youthful gamers and obtained a consequence that made him proud. “Ours (basketball) is only a totally different type (of training).
“However, for certain, that’s what we’re right here for.”
A winner of 5 of the previous six UAAP championships, Baldwin is pleased with the gamers who have been or are nonetheless below this system.
“They’re all prepared for the subsequent step,” Baldwin stated of a few of his graduates, most notably BJ Andrade and Ange Kouame.
“I attempt to ensure that I make them higher gamers by way of the place they are often only,” he stated. “And most of them have turned within the time in serving to themselves (get there).”
Kouame continues to be participating in Gilas Pilipinas preparations for the World Cup and the Asian Video games and will get the decision relying on the provision of the opposite naturalized gamers, Jordan Clarkson and Justin Brownlee.
“We actually ready him to be Europe (basketball)-ready,” he stated. “He nonetheless has some bettering to do, however he can have a profession there if he decides to take that path.”
ACL tear restoration
Andrade, in the meantime, is on the street—actually—to getting again to good form which might see him apply for the PBA Draft subsequent month.
“He’s biking now, coach,” Sean Quitevis, one other injured common who joined the group right here, answered when Baldwin requested how Andrade is doing. His former guard got here down with an ACL tear earlier within the 12 months, had surgical procedure and is fast-tracking his rehab to get again to basketball form.
“Coaches (within the PBA) are going to like him,” Baldwin stated. “That child can do all of it, let me let you know. He makes everybody else within the group higher and he’s a winner.”
His present batch of Eagles are additionally suffering from promising expertise and he continues to be impressed by them as a result of all of them are laborious employees.
Although he misplaced Forthsky Padrigao a few weeks in the past due to tutorial deficiencies and private points hounding the purpose guard, Baldwin nonetheless has a formidable roster.
With Kai Ballungay and Geo Chiu returning to kind a fearsome triumvirate with 6-foot-10 Joseph Obasa within the center, the Eagles will go into UAAP Season 86 because the favorites.
“There’s nonetheless plenty of groups that may beat us on the market,” he stated. “We are going to nonetheless must work laborious for it (one other championship).”
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