Kiwis seeks Coach Tab’s help vs Gilas?

Gilas Pilipinas’ impressive showing in the last Olympic qualification, wherein the nationals beat two (the other euro team via technicality)of the best European teams, but fell short of making it to the Paris Olympics 2024. This has somehow send, well, a slight chilling effect to our next two competitors in the November second qualifying window for FIBA Asia Cup tournament.

And one of the team, it seems to me, on a “panic” mode or simply, sounding the alarm?…Maybe…

as New Zealand, knowing that Gilas Pilipinas’ achievement in the FIBA-OQT, is something it can not be taken for granted. Infact, the Kiwis were reportedly eyeing the help of former mentor in Tab Balwin, who has a live contract with UAAP titlist Ateno Blue Eagles.

Though the said report, in the Post Basketball, New Zealand, has been vetting candidates for the position of head coach for The Tall Blacks”, and one the prospect names on the list is former Gilas mentor, who actually assembled the new generation of Gilas players during the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2021 as part of the nationals preparation in the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Also in the said report, Basketball New Zealand did not reveal the names of the candidates, nor Baldwin response to Marc Hinton of the Post’s inquiry. Hinton, in his article, “ a placed source said that the Blue Eagle tactician has expressed interest,” And how true is that? We don’t know.

But what we know, is that Baldwin is indeed a great bench tacticians and true believer of skills and talent of a player. And The Tall Blacks should acquire the services of the American mentor, is going to be tough sailing for Gilas as the nationals as set to meet the Kiwis in the second window qualifiers in Nov.21 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Gilas Pilipinas is likewise to host Hong Kong on Nov. 24. at the same venue.

Baldwin is known for savvy tactics with emphasis on rapid ball motion, that creat scoring opportunities to whoever gets free to shot. Physicality in the games is one concern Baldwin is giving premium in offensively and defensively as evidently shown in 2022 OQT wherein the Nationals, match Serbia height, heft as well as shooting, and match the Dominican Republic’s physicality game.

Meantime, the country’s and Asia’s first pro-league, the PBA, has finally unveiled its 49th season, Governor’s Cup, two weeks ago, with a brand new rules, format and the newly instituted four-point shot, which has been making some waives for some of the players. In the like of Ginebra resident import and Gilas hero Justine Bownlee, who on his returned from a fruitful campaign in Indonesia, scored career-high 51 points. 16 of those came beyond the 28-foot line.

Gilas teammate Calvin Oftana, Tropang Talk & Text, likewise match Brownlee’s production, 20 points coming from the 28-footer. As more and more players are trying their hands to a shot from four-point line thus according to other crated more excitement in the game.

Also parading with a brand new season, are two of the country’s premier collegiate leagues, both held their opening ceremonies simultaneously in separate Arena. UAAP its 87th year of existent, started at the Smart Araneta, with University of the Philippines taking the opener with 77-61 win over defending champion Ateneo.

And celebrating its Centennial (100th) edition and dubbed as the oldest collegiate league, NCAA, which unfurls at the Mall of Asia, defending San Beda took the W’s with an 85-64 triumph over Lyceum of the Philippines University.