Since Tab Baldwin led Ateneo de Manila University to the UAAP championship in Season 80, the Blue Eagles have always had an air of invincibility.
Ateneo went on to win a three-peat in Season 82 with an 18-0 sweep. They extended this winning streak to as many as 33 games in Season 84.
Despite eventually losing to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in a dramatic three-game series in Season 84, the Blue Eagles bounced back in stunning fashion.
Again, they won all in Season 85 at the expense of their Katipunan neighbor.
However, Baldwin and the Blue Eagles find themselves in uncharted territory in Season 86. Their 65-60 loss to the Fighting Maroons last Sunday means that Ateneo has already lost five elimination-round games this season.
These five elimination round losses are more than what Ateneo experienced in the same stage from Seasons 80 to 84.
It’s also the first time that the Blue Eagles have suffered this many losses in the elimination round during the Baldwin era.
“Bueno,” said a frustrated Baldwin when asked how his team would approach the last five elimination round games.
“What would you suggest? Go two (wins) and three (losses)? You think we should go two and three? No. We want to win all the time.”
There were many glaring factors that contributed to the Blue Eagles’ loss to the Fighting Maroons. Newcomers to the team, such as Jared Brown and Joseph Obasa, did not execute properly in the game’s closing seconds when Ateneo was trailing by three points.
Rookie mistakes were not the sole reason for the Blue Eagles’ defeat.
Chris Koon, who is in his third year of playing for Ateneo, shot an astonishing 0-of-10 from the field and finished with four assists and five rebounds.
Baldwin has emphasized all season that growth is the theme of his team. Perhaps one major factor for the Blue Eagles’ struggles in Season 86 is the absence of many homegrown talents who played together at Ateneo High School.
Eagles like the Nieto brothers, Thirdy Ravena, BJ Andrade, Gian Mamuyac, Jolo Mendoza, and Thirdy Ravena all played together during their junior days.
That could explain the fluidity of Baldwin’s Ateneo team during the three-peat era.
The current lineup includes Lebron Nieto, Jason Credo, and Geo Chiu – all Eaglets in the past, but the latter two played in earlier batches than the first one.
Intangibles like familiarity may offset a team’s lack of individual talent. Unfortunately, this is not evident with the current Blue Eagles.
On the other hand, UP coach Goldwin Monteverde has players like Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea, Gerry Abadiano, Reyland Torres, and Janjan Felicilda with whom he won championships during their Nazareth School-National University days.
“Probably the biggest weakness of our team is that we don’t have playing chemistry yet,” said Baldwin.
“Playing chemistry isn’t just about liking to play together. It’s about having a collective understanding of where your efficiencies are.”
He went on, “If anyone knows anything about chemistry, you can’t create a good formula unless you get the right elements working together in the right way, and that’s what chemistry in a basketball team means. That’s a work in progress for us, for these guys.”
As a Blue Eagles fan who has been accustomed to tremendous success in the past two decades, this experience must be incredibly frustrating. Baldwin has never missed a UAAP Finals in his time with Ateneo.
There is a first time for everything, though, as there is a chance that Ateneo might not even make the Final Four for the first time since Season 76.
However, this is not the first time the Blue Eagles have had a 4-5 record after nine games.
Ateneo had the same record back in Season 65. The Blue Eagles then went on to win their last five elimination round games, including the infamous 13-1 run against the then four-peat champion De La Salle University.
As they say, history has a curious way of repeating itself. Ateneo could still win the Season 86 crown, and it’s hard to bet against Baldwin and his unique basketball brain.
There is still time for the Blue Eagles to redeem themselves, and it starts with NU this Saturday.
The Bulldogs may be missing Steve Nash Enriquez and Kenshin Padrones due to injuries, but Baldwin is not going to take them lightly.
“I know NU wants to get healthier,” he said. “But in spite of that, (Mike) Malonzo, (Jake) Figueroa, Omar John, Kean Baclaan – these guys are really tough players.
“So their core is really talented, really tough, and they’re playing for the number one seed, so they’re not going to be easy.”
