Ateneo Rookie Chris Coon. UAAP pictures
MANILA, Philippines – Atenio rookie Chris Koon says coach Tab Baldwin’s system is about to bring out the best in the UAAP season 84 men’s basketball tournament.
Koon played his best game so far as the Blue Eagles, scoring nine points in two triplets and was a plus-34 in Atenio’s 78-47 Route against Adamson at the Mall Asia Arena on Thursday.
The Filipino-American winger from Rolling Hills Prep, California, says he is learning a lot from Atenio’s basketball program, which dominated the last three UAAP seasons.
“It’s been good. I’ve been here for about two years now but we just started in January as a group. I’ve been able to do much better with the Coach Tab system and being around these guys has helped me a lot when it comes to the style of play and how different it is. “Five rebounds and two assists in a 16-minute, 51-second game after shooting 3-of-5 at the top,” Koon said.
Baldwin praised his 6-foot-5 rookie, who hinted at his potential to help the defending champions remain unbeaten in three games before the rival fight against fellow leader La Salle on Saturday.
“Chris played well today and he did something we really liked about Chris when we first saw him when he was in high school, a young colleague,” Baldwin said. “Chris can do a lot, he can shoot the ball, he can rebound the ball, he can defend, he can handle the ball well for a big player. He’s really a guard at 6-5 bodies. “
Baldwin is delighted that the 20-year-old is slowly becoming accustomed to the Blue Eagle culture with his newcomer Gabe Gomez, who had previously played a key role in their Bluetooth victory over the Falcons.
“Glad Chris got a really good game under his belt. He’s still settling into the culture, the team and many of these players. We continue to say that the buildup did not last as long as we liked. So it’s nice to see Chris and Gabe who are new to our environment and have a good game today, “he said.
Coon, who is eligible to play for five years at UAAP, is keen to continue improving his journey with the Blue Eagles.
“For every game, we’re just improving as a team and I can see that. I hope, as the coach says, we take everything with a grain of salt. The next game is over, that’s the most important thing for us, “he said.
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