Tab Baldwin. PBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—It’s the Southeast Asian baptism of fire.
Tab Baldwin, the newly appointed head coach of the Gilas Pilipinas program, would have his hands full starting May when the Philippines takes the tricolor to Singapore for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) Championships.
Baldwin is tasked to spearhead the two teams that would participate in the regional tournaments.
Sonny Barrios, executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, said they expect Baldwin to begin his tenure with a strong performance in the regional tournaments.
“We expect coach Tab to take off running as men’s national team head coach and that is why it is best he gets his feet wet early,” Barrios said in a statement.
“Aside from successfully defending our crowns at Seaba and SEAG, he is tasked to lead our men’s team to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics by winning the Fiba Asia Qualifying in Hunan,” Barrios said.
Gilas would play in the Seaba Championships from April 27 to May 3 while they would be in Sea Games duty from June 5 to June 16.
Both tournaments saw the Philippines as the winningest country with six Seaba titles and 16 SEA Games titles.
Kiefer Ravena, Ray-Ray Parks and Garvo Lanete would be the main players of the Gilas for the Southeast Asian tournaments with naturalized center Marcus Douthit reinforcing them in the middle.
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