ANGE Kouame will remain to be the center of attention for Ateneo, but coach Tab Baldwin believes that Geo Chiu is also slowly coming into his own as a reliable option down low for the Blue Eagles this UAAP Season 85.
Just take Wednesday's 79-52 win over University of Santo Tomas where the 21-year-old banger was all over the floor, showing grit as he made the most of the chances with Kouame sitting on the bench.
"I thought Geo Chiu played a really good game for us. He went in and he was sort of the eye of the hurricane in a way, because a lot of the physicality kind of revolved around him. He really stood his ground," Baldwin said.
Chiu's numbers may not pop at first glance - five points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one block - but his energy was infectious for Ateneo as he accounted for six of the team's 16 offensive boards and finished with a plus-9 on the court.
His stats, 2.3 points and 4.5 boards through the first four games, hardly do justice to the impact that Chiu has done for the Katipunan side, all the more as Kouame continues his road to recovery.
To Baldwin, it's just a glimpse of what Chiu can do, a fact that he has known since the 6-foot-8 slotman joined the Blue Eagles which continued to their national team stints in the past.
"He's gonna be a very, very good basketball player for Ateneo, for whoever he chooses to play for in the pros, and I believe ultimately in the national team. So these are great learning curves for him," he said.
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