Tab Baldwin upset over Ateneo’s ‘inexcusable’ opening day displaying

Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin and the Blue Eagles within the UAAP Season 86 opener. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web

MANILA, Philippines — Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin lamented the dearth of battle of his new-look defending champions after beginning their title protection within the. UAAP Season 86 males’s basketball event.

The Blue Eagles couldn’t cease the Nationwide College Bulldogs, particularly within the fourth quarter, and fell to a 77-64 opening day loss on Saturday at Mall of Asia Enviornment.

“We’re very upset with our efficiency. I feel the phrases that imply a lot to Ateneans, One Large Combat, the phrase battle was disregarded at this time and that’s inexcusable,” Baldwin mentioned after having an extended speak together with his workforce within the locker room.

Baldwin rued their 20-of-56 taking pictures and their defensive lapses because the Bulldogs shot 51% from the sector and outrebounded them, 43-30.

“We didn’t do a very good job contesting their threes and discovering the blokes that we knew had been good shooters reminiscent of Patrick Yu and Steve Enriquez and you understand, you gotta do these items in opposition to a very good workforce. I feel they actually performed with a very good composure at this time, and we didn’t,” the Ateneo coach mentioned.

“We didn’t execute our offense as nicely however actually whenever you quit 51 % taking pictures to your opposition, you get outrebounded as badly as we acquired outrebounded, you’re not gonna win. And we acquired overwhelmed badly. And people are the numbers you’ll be able to mirror on and naturally, there’s much more beneath these numbers that we’ve got to check out.”

Gilas cadet Mason Amos solely had two factors on 1-of-4 taking pictures in 17 minutes of motion, whereas Joseph Obasa was restricted to 2 factors from the free throw line, however Baldwin remained affected person together with his prized recruits.

Ateneo’s Mason Amos. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.web

“I don’t care. They’re rookies. They put in rookie performances at this time. It’s inexcusable, however that’s what occurs. So whenever you say lots’s been anticipated from them, you higher characterize who’s anticipating that and whether or not they need to be fearful about these individuals anticipating. As a result of the expectation of us was they step up and do their job, which they didn’t do a very good job of,” the Kiwi-American coach mentioned.

“However that’s what rookies do. And it in all probability will occur once more it simply higher not occur fairly often for the sake of our workforce.”

The four-time UAAP champion coach lauded NU coach Jeff Napa and the Bulldogs, whom he believed to be one of many robust groups to beat this season even earlier than the event began.

“Credit score to Jeff, credit score to the NU workforce. I instructed all people, that’s a veteran workforce. That’s a really very composed, stable basketball workforce and also you’re gonna say they’re gonna be up there on the finish of the season. We get one other shot at them within the second spherical, however we’ve got a whole lot of video games to play earlier than we get there,” Baldwin mentioned.

“That they had an awesome begin. They did precisely what we knew they had been able to doing, they attacked the rim indiscriminately. We did a horrible job staying in entrance of our males they usually acquired us in defensive rotations,” he added.

Baldwin and the Blue Eagles return to the drafting board as they attempt to bounce again of their rivalry sport in opposition to the De La Salle Inexperienced Archers on Wednesday, 6 p.m., at MOA Enviornment.

“We’ll put together. We’ll do a sport plan for La Salle. Hopefully, our gamers exhibit slightly bit extra delight and I feel they are going to. I feel I don’t like to make use of the phrase get up name as a result of we aren’t sleep, we simply performed badly,” the Ateneo coach mentioned.