Baldwin: Ateneo will learn from Game 1 loss to La Salle

Ateneo consultant Tab Baldwin. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin on Saturday said it was his team’s bad start that proved detrimental to the Blue Eagles in a close loss to the La Salle Green Archers at the start of their championship series in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament.

The Green Archers fired on all cylinders and raced to a 16-2 lead and the Blue Eagles looked lost early.

“We were prepared, we went out, but for whatever reason, and I prefer to credit La Salle, they really came out and they were business-like,” said Baldwin. “It took us a long time to settle down.”

Ateneo regrouped and even went on to take a, 65-64, when Matt Nieto scored an off-balance jump shot with 34.6 seconds left in the game.

But it didn’t take long for the Archers to regain the advantage with Jeron Teng putting his team up for good, 66-65, with 15.1 seconds left. 

Baldwin, though, remains positive with his young team and he knows they learned from such a heartbreaking loss.

“These guys aren’t great basketball players, they have a lot to learn,” said Baldwin. “They’re hardworking kids trying to learn the game and they’re getting phenomenal lessons in a game like this.”