Tab Baldwin, tactical immaturity and the future of Gilas

ACCORDING to reports, Ateneo Coach Tab Baldwin is seeking to meet with PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, most likely to apologize and clarify his statements that many found disparaging.

The PBA already meted out fines against Baldwin, amounting to Php 75,000. The amount was inconsequential for them but it serves as a statement.

Coach Tab will speak his mind and he has a right to do that. It was a podcast titled “Unfiltered” of all places, so we should not have expected any less. It was also the first episode and they chose Tab, of all people. These guys knew what they were doing.

“Tactical immaturity”

The writing was already on the wall. The Philippines keep playing isoball instead of following the European paradigm, or, closer to home, the Korean style of play. We do not have the height or the athleticism to play this game at the international stage. Our Serbian opponent already stated there was a “lack of quality.”

It is not surprising then that we would have an objective observer citing “tactical immaturity.”

Once you get over the “Who do you think you are?!” reflex, you realize that the message is not only accurate, it’s not even new.

It’s actually a chicken and egg dilemma. The coaches are playing within the framework of a “protectionist” basketball policy. The PBA only allows one import with a height limit, they don’t allow naturalized players to play as a local (talking about Constitutional rights, they’re already being broken).

The NCAA will no longer have foreign student-athletes whenever they resume their season. The UAAP still has restrictions on using only one at a time.

The bloodline still rules Philippine basketball, totally the inverse of the FIBA policies. With these territorial and genetic limits, our local players do not have too many seven-footers to play against.

With these restrictions, no wonder players continue to play one-onone — because they can. You see Kobe Paras in UP railroading the opposition with the Maroons, far from anything that he could do in Creighton. If only he were a better shooter, maybe he could’ve gone farther in the US.

The same “if only” applied to Ray Parks or Kiefer Ravena, the other two guards who tried to pursue their NBA dream. They were not very good shooters at the international level. But they can bring their international exposure back home and dominate.

What would make Gilas a worldclass team? More shooting. Kobe Paras doesn’t feel the need to be a lockdown shooter. Hardly anyone in the Philippines does because we don’t have quick, athletic sevenfooters who’ll eat you up on the switch. That only happens in the FIBA World Cup where we finished dead last.

The future of Gilas

Somehow, Tab Baldwin, the program director for Gilas was left to fend for himself. He has to apologize for being right, something you have to get used to in the Philippines, but totally doesn’t make sense in any other country.

Based on the reactions, specifically from the PBA Board and and SMC director Alfrancis Chua, the line between the PBA and Gilas just became thicker. If Tab said his plan was to make Gilas less dependent on the PBA, it is no longer a matter of choice now.

The MVP group should really back up Tab and their college recruiting effort. Since they do not have a local league outside the PBA (apparently, it is not that simple since FIBA frowned upon Japan having two top-tier basketball leagues) they may have to stash the players overseas.

Thirdy Ravena’s future could be a precedent. What would be his career arc if he doesn’t join the PBA? This would be the precedent for the other players who would choose Ateneo even if there are also offers from other schools. Is there really a lucrative pro career outside of the PBA? Now, they have to answer that question.

If only they stood behind Tab, like what the fans are doing, then it would be the PBA and the Philippine coaches who are searching for answers.