BCAP also condemns Baldwin’s comments on ‘tactical immaturity’ of local coaches

Saying the remarks belittled the capabilities of Filipino coaches, Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) president Louie Gonzalez on Saturday expressed his dismay over Gilas Pilipinas program director Tab Baldwin’s comments that highlighted what he described as the “tactical immaturity” of local mentors.

Gonzalez, who serves as the head coach of Jose Rizal U in the NCAA, said he strongly condemns Baldwin’s statements, which have also drawn the ire of former BCAP presidents Alfrancis Chua and Yeng Guiao.

More than anything, Gonzalez said Baldwin’s comments strike a chord because it seems “we are being underestimated as Filipinos here.”

“And it is not just the coaches here, the PBA, and its officials, it is our capabilities; this is an attack on Filipinos and I strongly condemn that,” Gonzalez said in a statement.

In a recent podcast, Baldwin said local coaches are “significantly unaware of the tactical advancements and the systemic advancements of coaching systems coming out of Europe in particular which, you know, are built on the backs of player development.”

Baldwin went as far as suggesting that it was the PBA’s fault because of its single import conference format. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said he will fine Baldwin for his statements that were detrimental to the league.

“Now, let me explain to you why I think that isn’t necessarily the coaches’ fault,” Baldwin said. “As an industry here, we have one major, 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 conferences are a single-import conference. 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 of the rules latitudes that the imports are given here by the referees, and by the administration of the PBA, and I do believe it is by the administration.”

Baldwin added: “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, I think then they would show their real talents.”