By: Miguel Marco
Kymani Ladi is making waves in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament, delivering back-to-back clutch performances, yet the California-born forward insists there’s still room to grow.
Ladi made an instant impact in his Ateneo debut, dropping 26 points against Far Eastern University and nailing a dagger three-pointer with just 10.1 seconds left in overtime.
He once again came through in crunch time against the gritty UE Red Warriors, hitting another clutch triple with 22.7 seconds remaining to seal Ateneo’s 62-60 victory.
Despite his heroics, Ladi remains focused on improving for the Blue Eagles as the season unfolds.
“I’m not necessarily content with my performances. I can never really be too content,” Ladi said after the win over UE.
“I just want to make sure our team is progressing with each game. Sometimes we’re really solid on defense, sometimes not—but that’s the joy of basketball. You just keep working on it.”
Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin, who recently extended his contract with the Blue Eagles, shared a similar perspective.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Two wins don’t get us into the playoffs. They don’t guarantee a deep season. But being 2-0 is better than 1-1 or 0-2 — it gives us a little platform. We still have to keep putting wins on the board and continue to improve,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin is confident Ladi will remain a potent offensive weapon, but he emphasized that the 6-foot-8 forward must make adjustments as defenses focus more on him.
The 6-foot-8 forward from Merritt College is currently averaging 22.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
“I actually expected defenses to be more focused on him, and I wanted to see some numbers in the assist column, but we didn’t,” Baldwin said, referring to Ladi’s zero assists.
“He’s going to attract top defenders and defensive schemes. Other guys have to step up to give him space and freedom of movement.”
Baldwin also stressed the importance of a high-performing roster if Ateneo wants Ladi to continue spearheading the offense.
“So the better the rest of our roster plays, the better Ky is going to play. But if he is at any point seen to be a real focal point of our offense, then the going will get tough for him, and it will get tough for us as well,” Baldwin explained.
