Eagles hopes high with Tab at helm

MANILA, Philippines - The Ateneo Blue Eagles have set high expectations for their men’s basketball team with American-Kiwi Thomas Anthony “Tab” Baldwin coming in as new coach.

“He’s a good coach and we expect him to improve the performance of the team,” Ateneo’s representative to the UAAP board Ricky Palou said yesterday.

Ateneo is banking on the vast coaching experience of Baldwin, who has previously handled the national teams of Jordan, New Zealand and Lebanon. Baldwin served as Gilas Pilipinas’s consultant in 2013-14 before assuming coaching chores this year and steering the Pinoys to the Fiba Asia silver last October.

“We also hope to gain transfer of technology under him,” said Palou of the veteran mentor, who also serves as consultant to Talk N Text in the PBA.

Ateneo president Fr. Jett Villarin made the formal announcement of the hiring after meeting with Baldwin yesterday.

“We thank Coach Tab for his generosity in taking on this mission of coaching and forming our young men. We begin our preparations for Season 79 right away this December and we look forward to working hard for the UAAP championship,” Villarin said in a memo.

Villarin also thanked Ateneo’s patron and PLDT boss Manny V. Pangilinan for making Baldwin’s hiring possible.

“We could not have accomplished bringing such a renowned coach to the Ateneo without the support and guidance of Manny Pangilinan. As always, we thank MVP for his leadership and constant care of our alma mater,” said Villarin.

He also took the opportunity to express gratitude to Bo Perasol, who served the Eagles for three seasons, leading them to two Final Four appearances.

Baldwin was the latest high-profile coach to join the UAAP after Aldin Ayo of NCAA champion Letran and five-time UAAP titlist Franz Pumaren. Ayo is set to take charge of La Salle while Pumaren hooked up with Adamson University.

Baldwin takes the reins of a squad adjusting to life without two-time MVP Kiefer Ravena and Von Pessumal. In between the UAAP season, Baldwin will be preparing Gilas for the Fiba Continental Qualifying Tournament 2016, the final qualifiers for the Rio Games.

Being a foreigner, Baldwin’s move to Ateneo might encounter resistance from the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP), which has frowned on the hiring of foreign coaches.