ATENEO showed up with its A-Game game against defending champion University of the Philippines last Saturday night.
The Blue Eagles were aptly rewarded for their efforts.
“I thought we were a little bit different in the second half than we’ve been,” Baldwin said. “It’s what we needed to be, and I think that’s the hallmark of people with character.”
“When the occasion demands something different than, say your normal, you have to respond or else you’re just average. We don’t aspire to be average. We aspire to be special,” he added.
Baldwin spoke after his charges scored a convincing 75-67 victory over the Fighting Maroons and bagged a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four of the 85th UAAP basketball tournament.
Dave Ildefonso fired 15 points on three three-pointers, on top of seven rebounds for Ateneo, while naturalized Filipino center Ange Kouame notched a double-double of 14 markers and 17 boards.
Forthsky Padrigao also had 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists for the Eagles, who scored a fitting follow-up to their 69-66 overtime decision over University of the East five days ago and rose to 10-3.
UP, coming off a 78-60 whipping of University of Santo Tomas last Wednesday, finished the eliminations with an 11-3 mark. They have long clinched a twice-to-beat edge in the Final Four.
