Ateneo's Baldwin blasts recent negative statements vs officiating from 'people in UAAP family'

MANILA, Philippines -- Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin slammed the “lot of nonsense” being brought up in the media that “certainly affected and distracted the referees” in the ongoing UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament.

Baldwin, who steered the Blue Eagles to an 80-74 win over the UE Red Warriors Wednesday, did not mince words after the game.

“I think there was a lot of nonsense in the media and being spoken from other people in the UAAP coming into this game and I think it certainly affected and distracted the referees. I really felt for the refs today. I think they were under an inordinate amount of pressure,” the head coach told reporters.

“I think they really did a really good job under that pressure. Nonetheless, that’s not what we have referees in the game of basketball for, to put them under that kind of pressure that they were put under today,” he added.

While he did not name names for his post-game rant, Baldwin said, “you all know exactly what I mean.”

The Ateneo mentor's comments came a few days after Adamson head coach Nash Racela had a heated rant about officiating.

The Soaring Falcons on Saturday dropped a close 58-62 loss against Ateneo, which positioned the former to the brink of the eliminations.

On Tuesday, the UAAP bared that Racela supposedly apologized for his comments, and that league officials accepted it, sparing the coach from suspension.

But the coach was given a "stern reprimand."

“On behalf of the UAAP, I’m embarrassed for some of the people in our family of this UAAP exerting the kind of pressure that they did on the referees and on the commissioner’s office. I think it’s shameful, I think you all know exactly what I mean, and I think we need to put it behind us and move forward as quickly as possible and get back to doing what is right for the game of basketball,” Baldwin, on Wednesday, said.

“And when anybody, anybody does anything to the detriment of this sport, they are immediately my number one enemy. This game has given every single one of us in this sport way, way more than we have given back to it and I think it is shameful when people bring the game into disrepute. I’ll leave it at that.”

With Ateneo’s win over UE, the Katipunan-based cagers are assured of at least the playoff for the fourth and final spot.

UE, however, was eliminated from the Final Four contention.

Adamson, meanwhile, needs to win their game against the NU Bulldogs Wednesday night to keep their semifinal hopes alive.