MANILA, Philippines -- The Ateneo Blue Eagles will continue to carefully monitor the practice time and minutes of reigning Most Valuable Player Ange Kouame, who is playing in UAAP Season 85 with a knee that is not fully healthy.

Kouame missed a bulk of the preseason -- and Gilas Pilipinas' campaigns in the FIBA Asia Cup and the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers -- due to meniscal sprain and a partial ACL tear that was diagnosed in June, after the UAAP Season 84 men's basketball tournament.

So far in UAAP Season 85, the naturalized center is averaging 10.33 points, 10.89 rebounds, and 2.78 blocks per game in 26 minutes -- more than respectable numbers. But he has been less efficient on offense and at times appears a step slow defensively.

"People just have to realize that, he's just not getting practice time. We have to really take care of that knee," Baldwin said of Kouame's situation. "So he takes a lot of practices off, and that affects his execution."

• READ: Kouame still far from MVP form, Baldwin admits

Kouame, at this point in his basketball career, "needs a lot of practice time," the coach said. But the Ateneo coaching staff are cautious about putting Kouame through the wringer, especially as the center is also working with the national team.

Baldwin revealed that ahead of Ateneo's second round game against National University, Kouame had two practices with Ateneo and Gilas Pilipinas. He would be limited in a 78-74 loss to the Bulldogs, with just two points on 1-of-4 shooting on top of four rebounds and two blocks in 27 minutes.

"We just can't do that to him. He's not the Ange that we have had in the past," said Baldwin.

Before their rivalry match against De La Salle University last Nov. 5, Kouame only shot free throws during Ateneo practice, said Baldwin. The center was a lot more active and efficient against the Green Archers, with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks to help Ateneo claim a 68-54 win.

"You [saw] a guy that plays 32 minutes and plays with energy and looks much more like the Ange that we're all used to. So it's a balancing act," Baldwin said. "We know we get some diminishing returns in terms of execution and some of his efficiencies go down."

"But we still have that big, aggressive body out there on the floor," he added. "So we have to manage him during this time."

Though not at his peak in terms of fitness, Kouame still joined Gilas Pilipinas in the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. He played nearly 12 minutes in their 74-66 win over Jordan last Friday, contributing two points, three rebounds, and two blocks off the bench.

• READ: Brownlee, Kouame attend Gilas Pilipinas practice
• READ: Kouame thrilled to learn from Aguilar, PBA vets on Gilas

Kouame and the Ateneo Blue Eagles will return to UAAP action on Thursday, when they take on the University of Santo Tomas.

UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines.