National team coaches Alex Compton and Tab Baldwin. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
“We’re way behind.”
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin admitted that with only a month left to prepare for the 2015 Fiba Asia Championship, the national team is scrambling to make up for lost time and is trying to accentuate everyone to his desired style of play.
Set to leave for Estonia on Monday, his expectations for the team in the overseas training camp are not too high, though he believes that the team will be smart in the European trip.
“These games in Estonia, they might not be very pretty, but the big thing for me is we’re making progress,” he said. “I know what’s going to happen when they pull their uniforms. They’re going to stretch themselves out and play full steam ahead. We want to be efficient. I know we’re gonna put our hearts into it when it counts, but when we’re putting our hearts into it, a lot of times, our mind is not putting into it.”
READ: Little time to form Gilas Pilipinas hounds Tab Baldwin
“At this stage, we need our mind more than our heart. And that might mean we might not play our best, but I’m okay with that as long as we improve and we grow.”
Baldwin will be bringing in his 16-man pool, including late inclusions like Jimmy Alapag, Troy Rosario, and Moala Tautuaa, in the Euro trip where he hopes to further advance the team’s development.
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“They’re progressing, but it’s a long way to go. I’m realistic at where were at where my expectations are,” he said. IDL