At A Glance
- The Ateneo men's basketball team is moving forward after the deaths of players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili after appointing veteran mentor Louie Alas as its interim coach, the school disclosed Friday, July 10.
Louie Alas is Ateneo's newest interim coach. (UAAP Media)
The Ateneo men's basketball team is moving forward after the deaths of players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili after appointing veteran mentor Louie Alas as its interim coach, the school disclosed Friday, July 10.
Alas, 62, is taking over the position after Tab Baldwin left his seat in the heat of the controversy.
Recently, the school informed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that the American-Kiwi coach was not an employee but merely a consultant of the Blue Eagles.
Following his new role, Alas, also the father of pro player Kevin and rising star Kieffer, served as an assistant for Ateneo from 2024 – the same year that he had a brief stint with Zamboanga in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
In the prior years, Alas had coaching roles in the PBA, NCAA, and the now-defunct MBA, where he all won multiple championships.
Ateneo also tapped alumnus Nico Salva as its interim team manager. He joins former PBA player RJ Jazul on the coaching staff, which is also expected to welcome Kerby Raymundo.
This move signals the Blue Eagles' intention to become competitive ahead of the UAAP season after withdrawing from local competitions and canceling a training overseas.