Baldwin on ugly start: No excuses

Ateneo de Manila University head coach Tab Baldwin did not mince words when talking about the worst start of the Blue Eagles under his watch.

For the mentor, the first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball competition was a learning experience.

A brutal one to say the least.

Ateneo finished the opening half of the eliminations winning just one match in seven games at the bottom of the standings. The Blue Eagles, barely two years removed from the throne, ended the round with three straight losses including a 78-68 drubbing to struggling National University last Saturday.

“Obviously, our record right now is unprecedented, as you said, in our era. But, you know, it’s just... it is what it is. There are no excuses for it,” said Baldwin, who took over the Ateneo coaching job in 2016.

The Kiwi-American mentor even refused to take the inexperience of his squad and the offseason departure of most of its veteran core as fault for the Blue Eagles’ shocking fall from grace.

“We can talk about being inexperienced and young and all of that, but they’re not now. You know, they’ve had a half a season to become seasoned and become more experienced. We’ve got to play better basketball,” the former Gilas Pilipinas tactician said.

Ateneo’s glaring first round record is its worst in 11 years since a 3-4 start in Season 76.

“The temptation is to say yes (inexperienced), but the reality is no. There are a lot of young players playing well in the UAAP. There are some other young teams playing better than us,” Baldwin said.

A bitter reality Ateneo had to swallow when it got outhustled by a rookie-laden Far Eastern University, 66-65, in the only overtime game of the round.

Both teams share the same record, but the Tamaraws occupied the seventh spot by virtue of ‘winner over the other’.

“And even if we can say it’s a contributing factor, there are many, many other factors. Maybe not many, many, but there’s several other factors. We’ve shot the ball abysmally in the first round,” Baldwin added.

Statistically, the Blue Eagles shot terribly from the field with 33.11 percent, the lowest among the teams after the first round. Ateneo is second among teams with the most points allowed against an opponent with 69.86 point per game.

The Blue Eagles are also last in the rebounding department with an average of 36.86 boards per game, about four rebounds clear of seventh placer University of the East.

“Our interior offense when you look at the points in the paint, is a real sign of weakness. Again, personnel have something to do with that. But also, you know, not allowing our opposition to cover the perimeter with so much pressure and we can’t hurt them inside,” Baldwin said.

“We’ve got to find ways. We’ve got to find players that are going to assume that responsibility and counter what the defenses are doing to take away whatever perceived strength we have,” he added.

Still, Baldwin is keeping a positive outlook heading into the crucial second round. Although his team would have to play perfect basketball to claw its way back into Final Four contention.

The Blue Eagles have been in the playoffs since Season 77.

“So, this is a real challenge. And it’s one that we don’t like being in the thick of, but it is what we have. And we’re going to continue to try and find and accentuate the positives and try to improve on the negatives and hope that that process,” he said.

But the road won’t get any smoother as Ateneo has drawn NU as its second-round opening assignment.