Ateneo de Manila University is set to defend its World University Basketball Series title, which is set from 10 to 13 August at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin said it’s a great honor to participate in the second edition of the tournament as it provides them an opportunity to explore different strategies for their buildup for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 86 this October.
“Well, as I say when people ask me about the UAAP crown, we are not really defending anything,” Baldwin said.
“We have to go there for the dual purpose of playing our hearts out in representing the school and the country, but we also need to ensure the development of our team, system, and combinations for the UAAP.”
“Anytime we are in the off-season, we also have that dual purpose, and it includes winning. We have to make it a habit, and it starts with the preseason.”
The field has doubled from four teams last year to eight this year with Japan’s Tokai University and Chinese Taipei’s National Chengchi University also returning to action.
The remaining teams in the tournament are the United States’ Radford University (NCAA Division I), Japan’s Hakuoh University, Australia’s University of Sydney, Korea University, and Indonesia’s Perbanas Institute.
“I’m happy. I want as tough a competition as we can get. We don’t know the caliber of the teams, but it seems on paper that the competition will be tougher,” Baldwin said.
Unlike the other teams, Ateneo will have an exhibition game on 10 August against a selection of players from the All Japan University Basketball Federation.
The knockout tournament will commence the following day with Ateneo facing the University of Sydney. The winner of that match will proceed to play against either Perbanas Institute or Hakuoh University in the following days.
Radford will battle Korea University in the first round while Tokai will face Chengchi.
The losing teams will move on to the classification phase.
“We are going there to win and gain experience for the UAAP season,” Baldwin, a four-time champion coach, said.
Last year, Ateneo completed a three-game sweep of the tournament, defeating Universitas Pelitas Harapan (125-39), Chengchi (88-78) and Tokai (68-59).
