By Julius Manicad

Copyright tribune

Tab Baldwin formally secured a three-year contract extension, giving him longer time to steer Ateneo de Manila University back to prominence in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament. Ateneo president Fr. Roberto Yap made the announcement, saying that the Kiwi-American tactician will stay at the helm until the league’s Season 91 in 2028.“Thank you for building such a strong program (over) the past years,” Yap said during the Blue Eagles’ traditional send-off mass yesterday. “And we are happy you are renewing with us.”Baldwin expressed his gratitude for the trust and confidence given to him and vowed to aggressively rebuild the program until restoring the glory it used to have.“With you guys, I will be able to be a part of rebuilding this program — bringing glory and success back to the hill,” the 67-year-old Baldwin said.After a stint with Gilas Pilipinas in 2016, Baldwin handled the Blue Eagles and guided them to three straight titles from 2017 to 2019. He returned to the national squad in 2021 before going back to the Blue Eagles the following year, leading them to the title in 2022.The following year, the program rebuilt following the exits of Most Valuable Player Ange Kouame and stars like Dave Ildefonso and Forthsky Padrigao. After hardly making it to the Final Four of Season 86 in 2023, the Blue Eagles struggled in Season 87 last year as they fell all the way to eighth place, marking their first playoff exit since Season 76 in 2013.With Ateneo struggling — and other schools like De La Salle University, University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas rising — speculations were ripe that Baldwin was already on his way out. Fortunately for him, on Saturday morning, just a few hours before the Blue Eagles open their season against Far Eastern University at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, all issues hounding his future at Ateneo had been completely laid to rest.