Transferring from one university to another isn't a walk in the park for most student-athletes.
Challenges expected to arise are changes in playing style, coaching system, the culture itself, among others.
But Dave Ildefonso, who suited up for National University for two seasons, has Tab Baldwin to thank for in his transition to the Ateneo men's basketball team.
As a Gilas stalwart and someone who has been under Baldwin's wings, Ildefonso is just as fortunate as his other teammates in the national team.
The Gilas factor alone paved the way for Ildefonso to familiarize the system prepared by Baldwin as head coach of the Blue Eagles.
READ: Gilas stint huge boost for Abarrientos' transition to UAAP
"Ever since the pandemic started, at least like players RJ , SJ and Ange , we never really took that long of a break like the other players from the UAAP," said the 6-foot returning Ateneo guard.
"So like we have our own bubbles, they have their own games as well, and you know just being under coach Tab during that duration of time just really helped me understand the system much more and it's really a great system to be in, and I'm just lost on the words for how that did really much is."
In his Ateneo homecoming, Dave, son of PBA legend Danny Ildefonso and brother of NU veteran Shaun, fired 19 points on a 7-of-14 shooting to go with six rebounds, one assist, and one steal as the Blue Eagles denied the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons a late comeback, 90-81, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena Saturday, March 26.
Baldwin, for his part, returned the gratitude to Ildefonso and hoped that his decision to suit up for Ateneo once more will come to fruition soon.
And if there's one more thing that Baldwin would praise in Dave aside from his raw skills, that would be his humbleness on and off-court.
"I don't want to be that comfortable and be carried away. The whole process with dave has been much more of a delight and much easier than I anticipated," said the three-time UAAP champion coach.
"He would've been in it and he gets the entire credit for that. He came in very humble and he didn't have to -- y'know Dave has a big name in the game and Dave performed very well in NU."