Romwel Anzures

The Ateneo Blue Eagles with head coach Tab Baldwin against the Adamson Soaring Falcons in UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball. Photo from UAAP Media.

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759064726375UAAP S88 MBB - ATENEO vs. ADU - ATENEO Bench - 1927.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Ateneo Blue Eagles with head coach Tab Baldwin against the Adamson Soaring Falcons in UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball. Photo from UAAP Media."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Ateneo Blue Eagles with head coach Tab Baldwin against the Adamson Soaring Falcons in UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball. <em>Photo from UAAP Media.</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Ateneo de Manila University head coach Tab Baldwin is expecting the spotlight on his Blue Eagles to only get brighter as they ride a perfect start in UAAP Season 88.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/9/28/uaap-ateneo-extends-win-streak-to-3-after-taking-down-adamson-u-1938"><strong>READ: Ateneo extends win streak to 3 after taking down Adamson</strong></a></div><p>Now sitting with three wins against no losses at the top of the men’s basketball standings, the four-time champion mentor is anticipating tougher challenges ahead especially since they did not even have any kind of expectations before the start of the year.</p><p>“If you remember what I said before, we really didn’t have expectations,” said Baldwin, whose team, along with University of Santo Tomas, remained unbeaten early in the season.  </p><p>“This team, we just needed to play games and kind of see where we’re at. I know it looks like we’re sitting at the top, UST is 2-0, but I don’t believe that either of us is going to be 7-0 after the end of the first round,” he added.</p><p>But while he downplayed their early surge, the former Gilas Pilipinas mentor did not discount the progress that they have shown so far after three games.</p><p>“One thing that we have benefited from the first three games is that nothing has come easy,” said Baldwin. “A tough couple of finishes in the first two games, and you learn from that, then in today’s game, we kind of did the little things much better.”<strong></strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Veteran one-and-dones</strong></div><p>As Ateneo competes with young aces like Jared Bahay, Kyle Ong, and Shawn Tuano, Baldwin hailed their one-and-done recruits for their impact on the team&#x27;s maturity at this early stage of the season.</p><p>“The maturity that they bring is really important, but it’s only gonna get bigger,” he shared of how Kymani Ladi, Dom Escobar, and Jaden Lazo have led them so far.</p><p>“They have that perspective of things that even when something is new, something is daunting, they still understand their job. You can see that these guys go out with a job to do, and it’s such an excellent example for our younger players,” he added.</p><p>However, Baldwin again emphasized that things will only get more challenging for the Blue Eagles.</p><p>“Whatever we’re doing well, it’s going to be tested. We just have to try and answer every question that will be asked,” he said. “We still need to learn how to play when things aren’t going our way.”</p><p>Next up for Ateneo are matchups against its lifelong rival De La Salle University next Sunday, October 5, and then a bout against their Katipunan neighbors University of the Philippines on October 8.</p><p>And for Baldwin, these games will be a greater chance for everyone to see if the Blue Eagles are for real in Season 88.</p><p>“We got the two top teams of the league coming up, so we can forget these first three games, then remember that it’s Ateneo-La Salle and Ateneo-UP,” he said. “You throw the script out, you throw everything out and just get ready for a dog fight.”</p><p>“It would be kind of foolish to sit here and draw any kind of conclusion this early. Maybe, when half the season is on our belt, maybe, maybe the mist will be clearing a bit. But for now, we just have to keep on playing and fight for every opportunity that we can get,” he added.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong> <script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABja4vfugHJmKuAs"></script></div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABja0wii18FhQJfd"></script></div>

<p>Ateneo’s Tab Baldwin is expecting the spotlight on his Blue Eagles to only get brighter as they ride a perfect start in #UAAPSeason88.</p>

Ateneo’s Tab Baldwin is expecting the spotlight on his Blue Eagles to only get brighter as they ride a perfect start in #UAAPSeason88.

UAAP: Spotlight only to shine brighter on Ateneo after perfect start, says Baldwin

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UAAP: Spotlight only to shine brighter on Ateneo after perfect start, says Baldwin

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 28, 2025 09:56 PM PHT

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Basketball

UAAP

UAAP Basketball

UAAP Season 88

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Ateneo de Manila University

Ateneo Blue Eagles

Tab Badlwin

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