Ateneo de Manila University had a crash course in toughness and composure when it suffered a sorry setback to University of the Philippines (UAAP) in Season 88 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament last Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin admitted that their 69-83 defeat to the Fighting Maroons was as an eye-opener, making them realize that they have to be tougher, more composed if they want to regain the UAAP crown that has been eluding them for the past three years.

After posting four straight wins, Ateneo was pushed to the limit against a rugged, hungry UP squad.

The defense-minded core of Nigerian Francis Nnoruka, Jacob Bayla, and Miguel Yniguez asserted its might in the third quarter, allowing the Fighting Maroons to launch a blistering 24-11 rally to dictate the tempo entering the payoff period.

Adding to Ateneo’s woes was the brilliant playmaking of Noy Remogat, who finished with 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds that underscore the Fighting Maroons second-half dominance.

And when the Blue Eagles were already bruised and battered, the mild-mannered Kymani Ladi lost his cool, taking a wild swing at Yniguez in a rebound battle that signaled the downfall of the last remaining unbeaten team in the country’s most prestigious collegiate league.

Baldwin, a veteran of many local and international battles, said his wards should emulate the toughness and aggressiveness of the Fighting Maroons.    

“They’re really tough guys. But I don’t see them as malicious, and I don’t see their coaching staff that way at all,” Baldwin said in a post-match briefing.

“I just think they’re highly competitive, and I applaud that. I applaud toughness. I ask our guys to be dogs all the time, and I think the UP coaching staff probably doesn’t have to ask for that very much, because that’s what those guys are, and I admire that about them.”

“I think we live in a world today where people overreact to toughness. I mean, get the hell out of sports if you’re not going to be tough, right? And if you’re going to cry about things all the time, well, you’re not going to be on the winning side very much.”

Baldwin said Ateneo is at its best when it is playing with a lot of composure.

After all, in their first four games, the Blue Eagles were able to display grace under pressure in the face of great adversity from Far Eastern University, University of the East, Adamson University and De La Salle University.

“I think you might be touching on the most important thing, and not just with Kymani as you said, but with the entire team. I think we’re a much better team when we play to a script, when we follow a game plan,” Baldwin said.

“And I think this team has the intelligence, the maturity to do that, and I think we lost our way on that point tonight. Hopefully, that’s the most important lesson that we take out of this.”