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    COLUMN: Ateneo to fill Padrigao void 'by committee,' says Tab

    Why Ateneo is equipped to handle point guard crisis
    Jul 23, 2023
    forthsky padrigao, ian espinosa, lebron nieto, gab gomez
    PHOTO: Spin.ph / UAAP
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    CHICAGO - It isn't a death knell, but the ineligibility of Forthsky Padrigao in the upcoming UAAP season is a crushing, debilitating blow to Ateneo's title defense.

    The Blue Eagles are bleeding red today, their championship flight shaken by immense turbulence after their 21-year old court general was crushed under the weight of steep academic expectations.

    As if winning back-to-back titles isn't tough enough, the degree of difficulty just went up a notch for Ateneno.

    READ: Forthsky Padrigao ineligible for Ateneo due to academic woes

    Besides having to continuously parry bitter rival UP, the Blue Eagles are now handicapped against re-tooled La Salle, powerhouse NU and the suddenly surging UST Tigers whose growl just got meaner with the recent support thrown by SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua.

    This isn't the first time Ateneo has been forced to deal with key players saddled with academic-related issues.

    Thirdy Ravena and Raffy Verano missed time in Seasons 78 and 82,respectively, but true to their Jesuit roots, the Blue Eagles showed uncommon resilience to weather both storms.

    PADRIGAO'S ABSENCE WOULDN'T BE DEALT WITH ANY DIFFERENT

    Like any other champion coach who had leapt through a myriad of obstacles to reach the mountain top of his craft, Tab Baldwin already has a plan in mind to mitigate this crisis.

    "We will cover the point guard position by committee. Gab Gomez is our veteran and we bring plenty of depth in newcomers Ian Espinosa, Jared Brown and rookie LeBron Nieto.

    "They are all working hard to be team leaders on the court as well as filling the skill requirements of the PG position," Baldwin told me over the phone.

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      Still, it would be tough to emulate the late game chutzpah and the shot-making dexterity of Padrigao, who made the Mythical Team by averaging 11 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists per while leading the UAAP in steals at 2.4 a contest during last season's title run.

      "Certainly, losing Forthsky for the season is a big loss in terms of experience and leadership. But the depth that our players work everyday to develop now has to prove its worth and the team has been doing an excellent job growing in ability and confidence irrespective of the lineup on the court," Baldwin emphasized.

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      Even minus Padrigao in the equation, the Blue Eagles still possess the championship formula. Thanks to team manager Epok Quimpo, whose offseason recruitments are legendary, Ateneo's talent pool continues to wallow in abject affluence.

      tab baldwin forthsky padrigao

      And while most teams tend to bend and panic at the thought of missing a key piece such as a starting point guard, Ateneo takes this one in the chin without looking at the corner for answers.

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      ACE IN THE HOLE

      And that's because they have coach Tab as that precious ace of spades when fate deals a wicked hand.

      Grizzled by his journeys all across the globe, including stops at New Zealand, Malaysia, Lebanon, Greece, Jordan and the United States, Baldwin is patient, tested, and immuned to the vagaries of life and basketball.

      Resistant to pressure, Tab finds solutions behind problems that perhaps no other coach in the UAAP can. And he can deal with obstacles that are simultaneous and endless.

      That's why he is a five-time NBL champion coach. And that's why he remains the standard with which coaching excellence in the UAAP is measured.

      As for Padrigao, he isn't leaving Katipunan as rumored. Ateneo doesn't let go of those who encounter hardships on campus, it grips their hands even tighter for the rough winds ahead.

      There's more to life than basketball.

      And here's wishing Forthsky Padrigao the best.

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      PHOTO: Spin.ph / UAAP
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