IT'S not easy to impress a coach as decorated as Tab Baldwin.
But the Ateneo mentor could only speak highly of University of the Philippines playmaker Juan Gomez de Liano after his Blue Eagles' 87-79 victory over the Maroons in UAAP Season 81 last Wednesday.
"Juan Gomez de Liano is a really good player," the Kiwi-American bench tactician said. "That UP team is very good, aren't they? They got a great attacking spirit and they’re ferocious on the offensive boards."
Last season's Rookie of the Year carried the torch for UP against the defending champios, pouring in a career-best 29 points, to go with six rebounds and two assists.
Despite the Diliman side coming up short, the 18-year-old point guard was humbled with all the praise Baldwin threw his way.
"It’s an honor to be known by coach Tab, an international coach," he said.
Gomez de Liano, though, shared that it wasn't the first time Baldwin spoke highly of him.
Back in his UPIS days where he starred for the Junior Maroons, he was invited to participate in a tryout in Ateneo where Baldwin observed from the sidelines.
"Sila coach Sandy (Arespacochaga), they told me and (my brother) Javi to come and try out and ininvite kami sa Ateneo," he bared.
"I trained with him nung third year high school and actually, we had a long talk, like 15 minutes during the tryouts. And during the scrimmage, he just pulled me out and we had a long conversation about everything."
Gomez de Liano admitted he thought Baldwin and the Blue Eagles would take him in after that, but eventually, things didn't pan out the way he thought it would.
"After that practice, coach Tab and (Ateneo team manager) boss Epok (Quimpo) were saying na they were interested, but they didn’t do anything," he said.
Gomez de Liano doesn't regret anything that has happened in his career and would love to impress Baldwin more the next time their paths cross.
"Coach Tab knows a lot. He’s very systematic so it’s an honor to be noticed," he said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
