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Why coach Tab takes pleasure in pressure of UAAP finals — 'Almost not work'

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Levi Joshua Jr. Verora

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Tab Baldwin speaks with Dave Ildefonso in Game 1 of the UAAP men’s basketball finals at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on December 11, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/12/16/20221211-uaap-up-admu-finals-gc-0381.jpg"/><figcaption>Tab Baldwin speaks with Dave Ildefonso in Game 1 of the UAAP men’s basketball finals at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on December 11, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin acknowledged how much he has been enjoying the chess match between the coaching staffs of his Blue Eagles and the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball finals.UP took the opener on Sunday, 72-66 before Ateneo equalized with a 65-55 win on Wednesday, pushing the series to decider on Monday.“I am thrilled. I love the practices, I love the development, I love to see players grow, but these are the moments where you say, you don’t have to pay me for this,” said the three-time UAAP champion coach.Ahead of the finals, Baldwin had nothing but the highest respect for his counterparts in UP, which he described as a topnotch coaching staff.“Goldwin (Monteverde) is smart. He knows that we know what’s going on. He knows we have a very good coaching staff,” said Baldwin of the defending champions’ lead tactician.“That’s a championship coaching staff. They did a phenomenal job last (season); they did a phenomenal job (against NU).”The former Gilas Pilipinas mentor also noted how UP ran an “entirely new offense” versus National University back in the Final Four, which he said his staff needed to figure out in a matter of days leading to the finals.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/13/22/uaap-baldwin-vows-ateneo-will-find-counters-for-up">UAAP: Baldwin vows Ateneo will find counters for UP</a></li></ul>“They throw a lot of different things out there every game, but the points of emphasis stay fairly the same, the points of attack,” he emphasized.The Blue Eagles ran more big men pick and rolls and handoffs in Game 2, and seemed to find easy baskets amidst UP defensive breakdowns throughout the game, as the Katipunan side had a 36-20 disparity in points in the paint.Naturalized Filipino big Ange Kouame dominated in Game 2, finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks while Kai Ballungay added 15 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting clip.Baldwin went on to remark that his Blue Eagles won mainly because of their physicality and willingness over shrewd execution.“We were successful more from the standpoint that we played so hard and the way we played individually on defense, rather than it being any sort of tactics. But we’ll take it,” shared Baldwin.The Blue Eagles limited the Fighting Maroons to their lowest scoring output under Monteverde at 55 points, putting bigger and longer forwards on UP&#x27;s playmakers and delaying their offensive sets.“When you have a general idea of those sorts of things, it allows you to create some tactics,&quot; continued Baldwin.With the series tied at 1-1 and pressure growing, Baldwin’s and Monteverde’s coaching staffs will definitely have a busy buildup to the do-or-die Monday.It’s part of the job, but having been in the industry for over 30 years, the grizzled veteran in Baldwin revels in these kinds of moments.“It’s almost not work. It’s as close as it gets for a coach to play. Most coaches are old players, and we would love for us to be back there again. It’s as close as you can get,” he said.<div>UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines.</div>

For Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin, the UAAP finals have been 'as close as it gets for a coach to play.'