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Baldwin expects new Ateneo recruits to adjust to UAAP atmosphere

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Kai Ballungay was 1-of-3 from the field in his Ateneo debut. UAAP Media." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/10/04/uaap-85-mbb-admu-vs-feu-kai-balunggay-8354.jpg"/><figcaption>Kai Ballungay was 1-of-3 from the field in his Ateneo debut. <em>UAAP Media.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- Ateneo de Manila University&#x27;s new recruits were &quot;a little bit shaky&quot; in their UAAP debuts last Sunday, but this did not come as a surprise to Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin.</p><p>Ateneo outlasted Far Eastern University, 79-70, in their first game of Season 85 although they did not get major contributions from their new guys, particularly Filipino-American point guard Paul Garcia and forward Kai Ballungay. </p><p>Garcia played just seven minutes, contributing a rebound during his time on the floor. Ballungay started for Ateneo but made just one of three shots in 22 minutes, although he also had two rebounds and two steals in his stint.</p><p>Baldwin credited the atmosphere of a UAAP game as the reason for his new players&#x27; subpar outings.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve been all over this world. The UAAP environment is nothing to sneeze at. We get kids like Paul Garcia, Kai Ballungay, Chris Koon who transferred out of US universities. They never played in a 20,000-seat stadium,&quot; the coach explained.</p><p>&quot;This [the UAAP] is an extraordinary competition in terms of world basketball. So you can put any name on it you want, but until you walk in the stadium and FEU&#x27;s got probably 5,000 screaming mad people up there in the stands, it&#x27;s just different. The intensity of the games are just different,&quot; he added.</p><p>Both Ballungay and Garcia played for the Blue Eagles when they competed in the World University Basketball Series in Japan in the offseason. But those games were watched by &quot;a couple hundred&quot; people, according to Baldwin. </p><p>What&#x27;s more important for the coach is that their new recruits -- as well as players who only got minor minutes in Season 84 -- were able to get more court time against the Tamaraws.</p><p>&quot;For me, it was just getting some guys in the flow of the UAAP. Kai Ballungay, Paul Garcia, gotta get Chew [Matthew Daves] back out there, running minutes, Geo [Chiu], Gab Gomez,&quot; he explained. </p><p>&quot;When I say that it was a little bit shaky, I didn&#x27;t really expect them to go out there and feature,&quot; he also said. &quot;It&#x27;s just important to get that one under their belt.&quot;</p><p>But with their first games out of the way, Baldwin expects his players to be able to adjust and become more comfortable with the atmosphere in UAAP games.</p><p>&quot;We now expect more of the players, and I believe they&#x27;ll deliver,&quot; the coach said.</p><p>Ateneo returns to action on Wednesday against National University.</p><div><strong>Catch replays of UAAP Season 84 games via the UAAP Varsity channel on iWantTFC, available for Premium users outside the Philippines. </strong></div><div><strong>Related video:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QwKxVo1CZt0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Ateneo's new recruits were 'a little bit shaky' in their UAAP debuts last Sunday, but this did not come as a surprise to head coach Tab Baldwin.

Baldwin expects new Ateneo recruits to adjust to UAAP atmosphere

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Baldwin expects new Ateneo recruits to adjust to UAAP atmosphere

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 04, 2022 08:06 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

UAAP

UAAP Season 85

UAAP basketball

Ateneo Blue Eagles

Tab Baldwin

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