ATENEO coach Tab Baldwin expects to see his rejigged Blue Eagles go through the ringer in the World University Basketball Series this August.
"It looks like it's gonna be a strong tournament with high-level university teams," Baldwin, whose UAAP team will be skipping both the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup and the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, said on Wednesday.
[See Paul Garcia commits to play for Ateneo]
Dave Ildefonso, Geo Chiu, and Forthsky Padrigao are expected to lead the Katipunan side this August 9 to 11 at Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium in Tokyo where they battle top collegiate teams from Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia.
Ateneo is set for a collision course against perennial contender Tokai University Seagulls, back-to-back University Basketball Association champion National Chengchi University Griffins, and Liga Mahasiswa titlist Universitas Pelita Harapa Eagles.
The overseas campaign kicks off the redemption tour of the Blue Eagles, who are out to reclaim the championship in UAAP Season 85 later this year after its quest for a fourpeat was foiled by the UP Maroons.
For Baldwin, the trip is an opportunity for his young crew to get their baptism of fire ffollowing the graduation of Gian Mamuyac and Tyler Tio, the departure of SJ Belangel, and the partial ACL injury sustained by Ange Kouame.

"It's hard to say, but I suspect that some of the teams are gonna be very good and that's what we're hoping. We're hoping for a very strong tournament and obviously we want to put in a good showing," he said.
"Most importantly, we wanna get the requisite training for our team as we get closer to the UAAP. We need good games."
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