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Blue Eagles coaches Tab Baldwin, Arespacochaga excited to work with Jared Bahay
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin and deputy coach Sandy Arespacochaga expressed their excitement to work with the country’s top high school player Jared Bahay after the latter officially announced his commitment on Thursday, January 25. The 18-year-old Bahay made his formal announcement through a press conference attended by his.....»»
Letran s Tan, Ateneo s Baldwin, UP s Monteverde gain citations in Collegiate Awards
The top coaches in collegiate sports will have their turn in the spotlight during the Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night on Monday, May 29......»»
Baldwin: Up to Kai Sotto, G League to decide on Gilas stint
Baldwin recently talked about Kai's possible inclusion in the national team program on an episode of Tiebreaker Vods' Coaches Unfiltered......»»
For Mike Nieto, all roads lead to leading
Mike Nieto's leadership is not just for the basketball court. Apparently, his voice carries just as much weight inside the Nieto household in Cainta. "Hanggang bahay, umaabot yung pagli-lead ko," he shared with a laugh. "Rinig na rinig palagi boses ko sa bahay. Since I've proven to them na I can be a leader sa court, siyempre, I can also be a leader dito sa bahay." What does that mean exactly? Well, let's just say that whenever the Nieto family decides they want and need some quality time together, it's the 23-year-old who sets the time and the place where it would happen. "I think nasanay na rin kasi sila na ako ang palaging nagsasalita kahit sa ganyang bagay so most of the time, ako na talaga nagsasabi saan at anong oras kami pupunta," he said. This is not at all that surprising as when you talk about Mike Nieto, you talk about leadership. That has long been the calling card of the 6-foot-2 swingman - from his days as a Blue Eaglet to his time as a Blue Eagle and from his stint in Batang Gilas to his current run in the Gilas Pilipinas pool. But… Why do people say that in the first place? What is it with Mike Nieto that just speaks, leader? FTW: For The tWin To get the answer, we need to go back to the start. As in, the very, very start. Technically, Mike is the leader of the four Nieto siblings as he is the firstborn of Ateneo de Manila legend Jett and super mom and dentist Girlie. Matt is his brother, but is younger by two minutes. Make no mistake, though, the twins have always gotten along. "Kami ni Matt, ever since, close na talaga kami. We started playing basketball at the age of six and from then on, naging magkasama na kami sa lahat ng bagay," Mike said. He then continued, "Even course namin sa college, pareho kaya almost lahat ng classes namin, classmates kami. Ever since talaga, unusual na hindi kami magkasama." Indeed, the Nieto twins have always been some sort of a package deal. Hence, the reports of their commitment to Ateneo for college had headlines such as "Ateneo scores 'twin kill' as Nieto brothers commit to play for Blue Eagles." Through and through, however, Mike was thought to be the leader - even though Matt is the point guard. The reason for that? Because "Big Mike" is more vocal. And why is he more vocal" Well, because he had a two minute headstart on "Matty Ice" at letting his voice be heard. Seriously, though, Mike said it was just because he doesn't waste any time at all in being vocal - and that's why he's being heard first and more often. "Siguro, mas maingay lang kasi ako kay Matt. Ako kasi, kapag may nakita akong mali sa ginagawa ng teammates ko, siguradong makakarinig agad sila sa akin," he shared. He then continued, "Hindi ako papayag na lilipas ang isang bagay na alam kong makakasama sa team. Talagang maglalabas at maglalabas ako ng mga salita hanggang ma-solve ang problema." That doesn't mean that Matt doesn't lead, though. As his twin put it, "Matt is the leader on the court. That's the assignment Coach Tab [Baldwin] gave him and I think he has done well with that." Well, yeah, Matt has three rings as court general of the Blue Eagles' dynasty to show for that. LOL: Lead out Loud It was another court general altogether, however, who had made the biggest mark on Mike Nieto. While he never was a point guard due to his wide frame, he was always trying to emulate one of the best ball-handlers in the history of Philippine basketball. "Jimmy Alapag is my role model when it comes to leadership," he said. "I'm just very lucky that for a long time now, he would talk to me on how I can affect the team positively on and off the court." When Alapag was in his prime as captain of Gilas Pilipinas, Nieto was put on the pedestal as skipper of Batang Gilas. While he knew full well that was a tall task, he was also eager to prove himself worthy. "Sa Batang Gilas under coach Jamike [Jarin], he made me team captain kahit second year high school pa lang ako. But that made me realize na I have the capabilities of being a leader," he said. With that, Mike had the responsibility of making sure the likes of Paul Desiderio, Richard Escoto, Jollo Go, Jolo Mendoza, and Renzo Navarro were kept in line. And from then on, he just did not stop keeping at it. Whether it be as the Jrs. MVP as a Blue Eaglet or a rotation regular as a Blue Eagle, Nieto's biggest contribution has always been his leadership. "Being a leader is never easy. At the end of the day, you have to gain the trust of your teammates and your coaches - that's the hardest part," he said. Ask his teammates from high school, many of whom were still his teammates come college, and they would say they always have his back. "Buti na lang nakuha ko ang tiwala ng lahat ng tao na nakapaligid sa akin. Kaya rin ako nag-succeed being the team captain ng every team na nagiging part ako," he said. While he has always had the full faith of longtime teammates and good friends Thirdy Ravena, Gian Mamuyac, Mendoza, and of course, twin Matt, Mike could only acknowledge that it was another challenge altogether being the voice of the team that swept the season. "Ang malaking naging difference ngayong college from high school, kinailangan kong magsalita ng English mas madalas," he said, through chuckles. With foreigners such as Ange Kouame and Filipino-foreigners like Raffy Verano, Nieto, indeed, did have to make sure his communication lines were crystal clear. The thing about leaders, though, is that they give their all in anything and everything - whether that be giving a pep talk or passing the message to somebody like Kouame who only started learning English in 2017. IMO: In My Opinion And the thing about leaders? They do not necessarily care about themselves. Imagine Mike Nieto, a Jrs. MVP, a team captain for Batang Gilas, a literal blue-blood in Katipunan. Do you know his averages through their three-peat? In 47 games total, he saw 14.2 minutes of action and had 5.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Still, that did not matter at all. All that mattered for Mike are all those Ws. "To be a leader, you have to prove palagi that you can lead on and off the court," he said. "I think yun ang napatunayan ko kay coach Tab - na handa akong i-sacrifice ang personal goals ko para sa ikabubuti ng team. Wala akong pakialam sa sarili ko since ang nasa utak ko lang is kung ano ang makabubuti para sa team namin." But did he? Did Nieto prove himself to Coach Tab - a coach who has gone around the world and seen it all? The talented tactician's statement right after Ateneo completed its perfect run through UAAP 82 speaks volumes. “Look at all of us and think about where we’re gonna be in 10 or 15 years, you’ll forget most of us,” he said in the post-game conference where he sat alongside the Nieto twins, Ravena, Isaac Go, and Adrian Wong. “But you won’t forget Mike Nieto.” Coach Tab then went on to explain why he said so. As he put it, "Mike is a natural leader. Mike is a communicator. Mike is a thinker. In terms of touching people, making lives better, and making sure that everybody around him has a better chance than what he has, that’s our captain." High praise coming from the very mentor who has been getting nothing but high praise. Safe to say, though, Mike has proven himself to coach Tab. TBC: To Be Continued In doing so, Mike Nieto has also made it possible for the two of them to continue working together. Mike, twin Matt, fellow Blue Eagle Go, University of the East's Rey Suerte, and San Sebastian College-Recoletos' Allyn Bulanadi were the first five names listed for the Gilas pool. The likes of Ravena, Dwight Ramos of Ateneo, Justine Baltazar of De La Salle University, Dave Ildefonso then of National University, and the University of the Philippines foursome of Javi and Juan Gomez de Liano, Kobe Paras, and Jaydee Tungcab also made the list not long after. But the fact remains that "Big Mike" - he of zero starts, but three titles in a row in his last three years in blue and white - was one of the first names there. With that, he is now one of the few Batang Gilas players who have successfully gotten promoted to the Men's team. "Of course, sino bang ayaw i-represent ang bansa natin, 'di ba? That's why I'm very grateful for this opportunity to be part of the Gilas pool," he said. He then continued, "That's why I've been working on my game even harder so that I can provide whatever Gilas needs from me." Of course, what Gilas would need from Nieto is, first and foremost, his leadership. After all, that is still and would always be his greatest strength. To do so, though, the youngster would have to prove himself yet again - not only to Filipinos who are forever invested in their national team, but more importantly, his teammates, many of whom are already superstars in the PBA. For Mike, however, this is nothing new - nothing new at all. "Ever since I was in grade school, people have been doubting that I can progress my game to the next level. What we can't forget is that at the end of the day, it's in your hands if you want to prove them wrong or prove them right," he said. He then continued, "I actually enjoy these kinds of moments since dito talaga lalabas ang totoong pagkatao mo. Ang sigurado ko lang, I will fight for my spot in Gilas." And so, from a successful high school career and then an even more successful college career, Nieto is now seeking success as part of the Gilas pool. Does he deserve to be there? That's for the haters to hate, the doubters to doubt, and the bashers to bash. And that's for Mike Nieto to lead them out of the darkness. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Coach Tab calls Philippines the Mecca of basketball
Tab Baldwin has been in the Philippines for five years now. First brought here to coach Gilas Pilipinas, the brilliant tactician has since assembled a juggernaut in Ateneo de Manila University which has won the past three championships in the UAAP. It didn't take long for Coach Tab to fall in love with the Philippines and, of course, that was all because of Philippine basketball. "I love the Philippines and I think one of the most endearing aspects of the Philippines is this is a basketball paradise. Everywhere you look there are players, there are teams, there are competitions, there are fans, there are facilities," he said in the inaugural episode of Coaches Unfiltered. "I can tell you from the countries that I've been that much of what I've said isn't there, never is all of it there. That includes the US." The American-Kiwi had been around in the international basketball circuit and his most successful stint prior to the Philippines was in New Zealand. For him, though, the Filipino homeland is something special. "This, to me, is the Mecca of basketball," he said. And for him, the fact that Filipinos are not necessarily built for basketball makes all of this more special. As he put it, "You may say we don't have the greatest players in the world and that's true. Demographically, we are challenged with our size, but that doesn't really impact the passion for the game, the love for the game." That fire and desire, first and foremost, the reason why Coach Tab views the Philippines as the center of basketball. "When you put on top of that that this is one of the most hospitable countries in the planet with one of the kindest, gentlest, and friendliest populations, I start to ask myself where else would I wanna be and there aren't too many answers to that questions," he said. Does that mean that he will retire here - just like Tim Cone, Norman Black, and Alex Compton did? "Retirement? Why not," he said. "And if then, I can still continue being part of the basketball community to help coaches, to help young players, even if they have to push me around in a wheelchair, why not?" Of course, nothing is set in stone. What is for sure, however, is that Tab Baldwin loves Philippine basketball and will only continue to do so. "I love this country. I love the basketball landscape here even with its flaws and I hope to be a part of helping better every aspect of it because I know (Philippine basketball) has done so much to better my life," he shared. He then continued, "I think I can show my appreciation for that in no better way than to submit myself to what is good for Philippine basketball." --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Coach Tab expects Dwight Ramos to make his presence felt all over for Ateneo
Ateneo de Manila University will not have a big chunk of its championship core for UAAP 83. Gone are Isaac Go, Thirdy Ravena, Adrian Wong, and Nieto twins Mike and Matt and the Blue Eagles will head into battle spearheaded by the likes of SJ Belangel, Ange Kouame, and Gian Mamuyac. That doesn't mean, however, that the light on the blue and white will be dimming anytime soon as reinforcement has also come in the form of Filipino-American Dwight Ramos. And even now, head coach Tab Baldwin has no doubt about the splash the 6-foot-5 wing will make come Ateneo's title defense. "I think Dwight has a chance to make a significant impact," he said in the inaugural episode of Coaches Unfiltered. According to the brilliant tactician, Ramos' impact will not necessarily seen by the naked eye as it will be spread out all over the floor. As he put it, "Dwight's the kind of player who has across-the-board impact in a game. He's a very intellectual player. He's not just a great athlete because he also has good skills." He then continued, "He impacts court spacing by how he plays offensively and defensively. He's very, very unselfish. He can play multiple positions." In the end, Coach Tab reiterated that there's a reason why the faithful over at Katipunan is looking forward to the debut of their brand new Blue Eagle. "His impact, I think, is going to be significant, but again, it's not going to be a huge statistical impact as some people might expect or want to see," he said. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
TNT governor Vargas calls Baldwin’s apology a little bit insincere
PBA chairman Ricky Vargas is not buying the reason of Tab Baldwin for his controversial statements about the league. The TNT governor, speaking about the issue for the first time, said that he had accepted the apology of the embattled Ateneo de Manila University coach. “Nag-apologize si Tab eh. He apologized to me privately. I have accepted the apology,” said Vargas during the online session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday. But Vargas felt that it was a ‘bit insincere’ as Baldwin clarified that the statements he said during his appearance in the Coaches Unfiltered podcast last June 11 were taken out of context. “Ang impact sa akin nu’ng comment niya na ‘taken out of context’ after the apology he made was a little bit insincere,” said Vargas in the Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Go For Gold PH, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and powered by Smart. Baldwin, who is also the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas program director, drew flak from the league after his comments on local coaches’ tactical immaturity, calling the PBA single-import conference a big mistake and accused referees of giving imports an advantage in officiating. The American-Kiwi mentor clarified that he was just talking about his first impression of basketball in the country but was taken out of context. “It was sort of saying I apologize but I was taken out of context so it tended to push to blaming others,” said Vargas. Baldwin already apologized to the league after his comments drew a firestorm affecting the professional and collegiate ranks. Some agreeing with his commentaries while some took offense of his observations. “The consequence of that statement ‘taken out of context’ became more divisive,” Vargas said. Baldwin was slapped with a P75,000 fine and a three-game suspension by the league two weeks ago. TNT also last Thursday relieved Baldwin of his post as KaTropa’s consultant and assistant coach. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @fromtheriles .....»»
Tab out of TNT
One stint came to an end even as another continues to chug on at the TNT camp. Gilas Pilipinas project director Tab Baldwin was relieved of his duties as assistant coach of the KaTropa in the wake of his rant against Filipino coaches and the PBA’s import-laced conferences while guesting in a podcast two weeks […] The post Tab out of TNT appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
PBA: Tab Baldwin no longer with TNT KaTropa
Tab Baldwin will no longer be part of the TNT KaTropa staff in the PBA. Team manager Gabby Cui confirmed Thursday the news that Baldwin is out as a consultant and assistant coach for the flagship MVP franchise. Nevertheless, Baldwin remains as head coach for the UAAP champion Ateneo Blue Eagles and as a program director for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. "Coach Tab will be focusing on his coaching chores in Ateneo and his role in SBP," Cui said. "We would like to thank Coach Tab and wish him well," he added. Baldwin was fined P75,000 and suspended for three games by the PBA last week for his comments on the Coaches Unfiltered podcast. [Related: PBA: Baldwin fined P75k and suspended for three games] However, the KaTropa implied that the decision to let Baldwin walk away from TNT was unrelated to the incident. "We decided on this transition way before the lockdown," Cui said. "The team is adapting well to the system of coach Bong Ravena and consultant Mark Dickel," he added. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
By the Numbers: Available data support Baldwin s unfiltered takes
Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin sure caused a stir the other week when he made his comments regarding the PBA. Commenting on the league's format, among other things, Baldwin drew the ire of the PBA, leading to a three-game suspension and a P75,000 fine. [Related: PBA: Baldwin fined P75k and suspended for three games] But what did coach Tab really said that caused all this trouble? The two topics that were seen as most sensitive were Baldwin's take on the PBA having only one-import tournaments and coaches having "tactical immaturity" for which Coach Tab said is not entirely the fault of PBA mentors. Here's coach Tab's comment on the PBA imports: "As an industry here, we have one major flaw in the basketball landscape of the Philippines and it's a regulatory flaw and that is that in the PBA, we have three conferences, two of those are single-import conferences. This is a big mistake. We should never have a single import playing on a team. Further, we should never have a single import that is given all the latitude that the imports are given here by the referees... So in other words, to put it in layman's terms, a foul for a local player isn't a foul on an import, and the foul on an import, that same foul on a local player isn't a foul. So our local players are competitively disadvantaged in their ability to compete against the import players, and this is not the case in other countries." As for Baldwin's comments regarding the PBA coaches' "tactical immaturity," here's Coach Tab's full quote: "You ask yourself why one PBA coach after another, when they start their games, they don't match up the imports against one another? Why is that? Well, it's tactically smart, tactically sound because they can afford the fouls, because they know that the imports produce so much offense for their teams. But that's not so bad as in fact, and this gets back to my original point, gets back to the fact that if you're a PBA coach and you don't tactically run your systems through the import, you're pretty stupid because they are given all of the advantages. The PBA coaches are a smart lot, they're good basketball coaches, but they could be much better if they were forced to coach much more. I think then they would show their real talents. But I think that because of the way our imports are treated here, it's not sound thinking for a coach to not exploit what is obvious to every PBA coach, and that is to run your offensive systems through your import. I think that system it creates a false landscape for our basketball coaches and our basketball players. And I think it needs to be changed sooner rather than later." Since Baldwin's comments, his takes have become trending topics on the local hoops scene. But does Coach Tab really have a point? An independent researcher crunched available data from the PBA's previous season and some findings actually support Baldwin's claims. Here's a By the Numbers take on what was found with some good old-fashioned calculating. 9.34 Free throw attempts for imports per 48 minutes. For comparison, local players only get an average of 3.83 free throw attempts per 48 minutes, a significant decrease. This supports Baldwin's observation that imports generate most of the offense. As supporting data, imports get an average of 28.46 free throw attempts per 100 possessions, as opposed to local players generating only 18.56 free thows. 3.41 Fouls called on imports per 48 minutes. As for local players, they are called for an average of 4.71 fouls per 48 minutes, supporting Coach Tab's claim that, "a foul for a local player isn't a foul on an import, and the foul on an import, that same foul on a local player isn't a foul. So our local players are competitively disadvantaged in their ability to compete against the import players." 14.23 percent Free throw trips per scoring possession for imports. Local players get to the line only 9.28 percent of the time per scoring possessions. Simply said, imports just get to the line more, which means more free throw attempts and more chances to score. 23.82 Field goal attempts for imports per 48 minutes. Local players only average 15.9 field goal attempts per 48 minutes. Again, this is in favor of Baldwin's statements that PBA coaches are a "smart lot" for running their offense through the import. It's simply the obvious choice as it generates the most chances of scoring. — Baldwin's unfiltered takes were no doubt controversial and it appears that the issue with the PBA has been resolved for the most part. Nevertheless, key numbers prove that Coach Tab was on to something when he said what he said. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Coach Tab sees Ateneo shifting to Kouame-led game plan
Ateneo de Manila University will look very, very different for its title defense in UAAP 83. Moving forward minus Isaac Go, Thirdy Ravena, Adrian Wong, and Nieto twins Mike and Matt, the Blue Eagles will have brand new leaders for next year. In particular, head coach Tab Baldwin envisions Ange Kouame having an even bigger role. "I think we've developed a very strong frontline obviously anchored by Ange Kouame. I think we've been dominated over the past years by our guard play so next year, I expect to see our team to have a greater emphasis on inside play," he said in the inaugural episode of Coaches Unfiltered. Alongside the 6-foot-11 Ivorian tower, the blue and white also count Chew Daves, Pat Maagdenberg, Troy Mallillin, Will Navarro, and the returning Raffy Verano in its frontline. And all that talent will also be key for Ateneo at the other end. "As far as defense, I think that we have already developed a bigger, more athletic interior, again, anchored by Ange Kouame. That means that we're going to put more and more pressure on the perimeter and force people to attack the rim where we think our greatest defensive strength is," its brilliant tactician said. Who knows, the Blue Eagles may very well even put on something that has won a championship or two for the likes of Phil Jackson and Tim Cone. As Coach Tab put it, "Also, I'm thinking about re-introducing the triangle offense. I've always liked it." --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Coach Tab shoulders PBA fine on his own - despite offers of help
Gilas Pilipinas program director Tab Baldwin is taking full responsibility for the aftermath of his comments that caused some sort of controversy. A week ago, Baldwin was slapped with a fine of PHP 75,000 as well as a three-game suspension by the PBA. The American-Kiwi mentor has decided to pay the fine out of his own pocket - despite offers of help. "I am deeply humbled by the offer of those in the Ateneo community and friends from supportive companies to shoulder the cost of the fine imposed on me by the PBA," he said. "However, in these times that are so difficult for so many Filipinos, I would prefer that these generous offerings be donated to a much more important cause like Ateneo's ongoing COVID-19 drive for frontliners." Apparently, a number of Ateneo alumni as well as business owners have reached out to Coach Tab, telling him that they will pool together the funds to pay for his sanction. The Ateneo de Manila University's shot-caller and TNT consultant's fine was part of the PBA's disciplinary action for his "comments detrimental to the league." In the inaugural episode of Coaches Unfiltered, Baldwin said that the PBA’s imports stand on higher ground than local players. “A foul for a local player isn’t a foul on an import. Our local players are competitively disadvantaged in their ability to compete against imports,” he said. The brilliant tactician also touched on what he coined as “tactical immaturity” of local coaches - many of whom have not wasted time voicing out opposition to his claims. That was the 62-year-old's answer after being inquired by host Paolo Layug, “What are some of the similarities and differences between Philippine basketball and other places you’ve coached in? What is one thing about Philippine coaching culture that surprised you when you got here?” After his initial response of what he perceives to be “tactical immaturity” of local coaches, he then furthered that there are factors beyond their control affecting that. “Our player development here is mature, but our appreciation for tactical advancement and tactical systems is immature. Now, let me explain to you why I think that isn't necessarily coaches' fault.” That then led to Coach Tab's view on imports. “We should never have a single import playing on a team. Further, we should never have a single import that is given all of the rules latitude that imports are given here by referees,” he shared. The brilliant tactician said so because what he sees as preferential treatment for imports has long been an obstacle local players and coaches could not hurdle. “The imports who come here are very outstanding players… so if you’re a PBA coach and you don’t tactically run your systems through the import, you’re pretty stupid because they are given all the advantages,” he said. He then continued, “The PBA coaches are a smart lot, they’re good basketball coaches, but they could be much better if they were forced to coach much more. I believe, then they would show their real talents.” Those comments have ignited quite the firestorm that has affected the professional and collegiate ranks alike. With his disciplinary action now official, Baldwin has said no to offers of help - instead urging that those be put into efforts of organizations such as Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan and Tanging Yaman Foundation in the continuing COVID-19 crisis. In the end, he said that the presence of those supporting him - in particular, Ateneo patron Manny V. Pangilinan - was more than enough. "I have been in the employ of boss MVP for over five years now and I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to coach his teams. I look forward to more successes on the court," he said. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
Future-proofing Gilas is the best way to go says Toroman
Rajko Toroman sure had a thing going with his original Gilas Pilipinas team about a decade ago. Made up of mostly the top collegiate players, the original Gilas Pilipinas, reinforced by a naturalized player in Marcus Douthit and a few PBA players, came two wins away from a breakthrough Olympics stint. In the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championships, Toroman's Gilas lost in the semifinals to Tab Baldwin's Jordan team. Coach Rajko says that that set up could totally work for Gilas Pilipinas and it seems like the current brains of the national team program have realized it as well, forming a core group of young players headlined by Thirdy Ravena and Isaac Go. "I think that the program was great that time. I think in this moment, there is a mix. They have to make some young players play tournaments, take some international exposure," Toroman said on the Coaches Unfiltered podcast. "But also when it comes time for the results, you need to have the best 5-6 players from the collegiate and the best 5-6 players from the PBA. I think this mix will be the best thing," he added. Sending an all-amateur team to top international tournaments may be impossible for a country like the Philippines, especially if the national team will be looking to win medals in Asia and be competitive against the world. However, a national team featuring battle-tested young guys reinforced by the current best looks to be the best set up. That way, the next versions of the Gilas team will still have its best players all while being future-proof. A better relationship now between the PBA and SBP can certainly make that happen. "I think in this period, it's easier to make it like this because of the connection of the PBA and SBP is much better than in my time," coach Rajko said. "I think this is the best way to make some younger players get exsposure and then make the best team possible," Toroman added. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Dad s discipline is foundation of Coach Tab s basketball philosophy
Tab Baldwin has built a machine in Ateneo de Manila University which never fails to get the best out of its players 1 to 16. This machine has gone to the Finals for all of Coach Tab's four years in blue and white and has won it all the last three times. As it turns out, this machine was built on the ground that was first laid by Baldwin's father. "My father taught me about discipline on the basketball court. He was a very fundamental, very successful coach," he shared in last week's Coaches Unfiltered Podcast. He then continued, "He was very, very immature in terms of his tactics, but I still learned a lot from him." Indeed, disciplined is one of the topmost - if not the top - descriptions for coach Tab's players. The system works because each and every one on the roster is willing to do their all to make it work. Everything else just follows and Baldwin can then thank the coaches he looked up to for rounding out his basketball philosophy - including Dean Smith, legendary mentor of North Carolina basketball; Larry Chapman, longtime shot-caller in Auburn University at Montgomery; Paul "Bear" Bryant, legendary coach of Alabama football. In particular, Bryant influenced Coach Tab's hallmark of total team effort. "He was a pioneer in terms of how to develop cultures and how to manage diversity, both athletic and skill," he said. He then continued, "Studying him really molded how I discipline my teams and develop toughness." --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
PBA Slaps TNT’s Foreign Coach Baldwin with P75-K Fine, Suspension
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) slapped TNT assistant foreign coach Tab Baldwin with a huge amount of fine and a lengthy suspension for statements aired in a podcast last week. Commissioner Willie Marcial handed Baldwin a three-game ban plus a PHP75,000 fine for what he said in the Coaches Unfiltered podcast about the format of […].....»»
Tab Baldwin gets 3-game suspension, P75K fine
By JONAS TERRADO (Updated) Tab Baldwin was slapped a three-game suspension and a P75,000 fine by the PBA on Tuesday for what deemed as “detrimental comments” made against local coaches and league policies on imports. PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial made the decision after meeting with members of the league’s technical committee to discuss […].....»»
UAAP Executive Director on Tab Baldwin: 'Important to know context of what he said'
The UAAP has no problems with comments made by Ateneo de Manila University head coach Tab Baldwin that have caused some sort of controversy as of late. “Insofar as the UAAP is concerned, maganda ang sinasbi about us so no problem,” league executive director Atty. Rebo Saguisag said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum on Tuesday. “Whether or not he uttered something that caused a stir among other organizations, we respect that kasi kanilang organization yun eh.” In last week’s Coaches Unfiltered podcast, Coach Tab said that the PBA’s imports stand on higher ground than local players. “A foul for a local player isn’t a foul on an import. Our local players are competitively disadvantaged in their ability to compete against imports,” he said. He then continued, “I do believe that this is based in the desire to have imports as superstars as a marketing tool for the PBA.” The multi-titled mentor then compared the PBA’s imports to the UAAP’s foreign student-athletes. As he put it, “I don’t think that the UAAP needs a marketing tool. It’s already a fantastic marketing vehicle by itself so I think that, on the back of that, we don’t see (foreign student-athletes) being coddled by referees.” The brilliant tactician also touched on what he coined as “tactical immaturity” of local coaches - many of whom have not wasted time voicing out opposition to his claims. Saguisag, however, also reminded everybody to have the complete picture before sharing their mind. “It’s important to know the context of what he said,” he shared. He then continued, “I never watched it in full nor have I read the transcript in full, but it’s very irresponsible to comment on something that you do not appreciate.” Coach Tab is well-known for his long and winding answers to questions. Regarding his view on local coaches, he was inquired by host Paolo Layug, “What are some of the similarities and differences between Philippine basketball and other places you’ve coached in? What is one thing about Philippine coaching culture that surprised you when you got here?” After his initial answer of what he perceives to be “tactical immaturity” of local coaches, Baldwin then furthered that there are factors beyond their control affecting that. “Our player development here is mature, but our appreciation for tactical advancement and tactical systems is immature,” he said. He then continued, “Now, let me explain to you why I think that isn't necessarily coaches' fault.” That then led to his view on imports. “We should never have a single import playing on a team. Further, we should never have a single import that is given all of the rules latitude that imports are given here by referees,” he shared. The brilliant tactician said so because what he sees as preferential treatment for import has long been an obstacle local players could not hurdle. “The imports who come here are very outstanding players… so if you’re a PBA coach and you don’t tactically run your systems through the import, you’re pretty stupid because they are given all the advantages,” he said. He then continued, “The PBA coaches are a smart lot, they’re good basketball coaches, but they could be much better if they were forced to coach much more. I believe, then they would show their real talents.” In the end, the UAAP is of the stance that Coach Tab has each and every right to express his views. “I can’t really comment on the specifics, but at the end of the day, everybody’s entitled to their own opinions,” outgoing league president Em Fernandez of Ateneo said. —— Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
PBA: Baldwin fined P75k and suspended for three games
The PBA did not let Tab Baldwin off easily. On Tuesday, the league officially fined Baldwin for P75,000 and suspended him for three games for issuing statements "detrimental to the league." Last week, Coach Tab caused a stir when he said that the PBA's one-import tournament is a "big mistake" and that local coaches show "tactical immaturity" due to the advantages afforded to imports. Baldwin made the comments on the Coaches Unfiltered podcast. On Monday, Baldwin had an online meeting with PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial to explain his side. [Related: Baldwin in meeting with Commissioner Marcial: "I feel bad"] "I feel bad that has happened but that is not my intention," coach Tab said. Baldwin should serve his suspension when the PBA returns from the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of being Ateneo's head coach and the SBP's program director, Baldwin serves as an assistant coach for the TNT KaTropa. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
NorthPort owner chides Ateneo coach
Northport owner and Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero (1Pacman Partylist) is the latest among the growing list of officials and coaches critical to the statements of Gilas Pilipinas program director Tab Baldwin......»»
Baldwin in meeting with Commissioner Marcial: 'I feel bad'
For his now controversial comments last week, Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin has basically apologized to the PBA. In a virtual meeting Monday, Baldwin spoke to PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, as well has deputy commissioner Eric Castro and legal counsel Atty. Melvin Mendoza. Baldwin caused a stir by saying the PBA's one-import tournaments are a "big mistake." Coach Tab also mentioned that the liberties provided to imports make local coaches have "tactical immaturity." [Related: Unfiltered Baldwin comments on the PBA's "big mistake"] His comments were taken out of context, said Baldwin. "I feel bad that has happened and that is not my intention," Coach Tab said. Following his comments, which were made in the Coaches Unfiltered podcast, Baldwin has earned the ire of many for pretty much shaking up the Philippine coaching fraternity supposedly built around brotherhood. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»