For coach Tab Baldwin, good defense saved the day for them in the first round of the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.
And this is what the Blue Eagles will rely on at the start of the second round and when they meet their next opponent, the Adamson Falcons at 4 p.m. today at the Araneta Coliseum.
“That continues to be something to be difficult for our opposition and that is what we need to continue to understand that there are more ways to attack our defense,” said Baldwin after the Blue Eagles blasted the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 66-52.
The defensive-minded Blue Eagles are three notches ahead in the solo lead with their eighth straight win and their confidence is expected to boost their game when they clash with the Falcons.
Baldwin noted that they have been struggling their field goals in the first round and this could happen against the Falcons.
“For us, a lot of missed layups in this game. It’s not just not shooting the ball well from the three, we’re not shooting that well from the two. We’re not creating really good shots, too. That’s gonna change,” added Baldwin.
During their last game, defense dictated the pace of their low-scoring match, with Ateneo holding UST to a season-low 52 points.
UST, which is considered as the season’s top offensive squad with 81 points per game, is expected to bounce back against University of the East at 12:30 p.m.
The Growling Tigers share the same 4-4 win-loss with La Salle and Far Eastern University in third.
The Tamaraws, who fought off the University of the Philippines, 82-79, in overtime, take on the National University Bulldogs at 10:30 a.m.