Shift in fortunes? Aldin Ayo to join doormat UST Tigers

MANILA, Philippines — Aldin Ayo, who has won a championship for Letran in the NCAA and La Salle in the UAAP in the last three years, is moving over to UST, which he hopes to whip into a contender after two last-place finishes in the UAAP.

Sources said Ayo may leave La Salle, a team he steered to the championship last year and a runner-up finish this season. He’s heading to España to help turn the fortunes of the Growling Tigers, who barely averted an ignominious winless campaign with a final elims game victory over the UE Warriors.

Ayo’s decision was a complete turnaround to his statement during the team’s gathering on Dec. 19 in Taguig City where he reiterated his desire to stay as the Archers’ coach for another season.

There was also a La Salle statement that came out the day after, announcing the whole DLSU community’s all-out support to Ayo.

But he reportedly had a change of heart and made the decision Tuesday.

Ayo will thus jump from a La Salle team he steered to a 46-12 (win-loss) that resulted to a title and a runner-up trophy in the last two seasons to a UST side that has compiled a lethargic 4-26 mark and two last-place finishes under its former mentor Boy Sablan.

There were also reports that Ayo will be bringing in former Letran guard McJour Luib as his only assistant at UST as his other staff, including Louie Gonzales and Glenn Capacio, stayed with La Salle on an interim basis owing to the team’s commitment in the PCCL National Championship set to start next month.

Both UST and La Salle, however, have yet to make an official announcement on Ayo’s transfer.

As this developed, there were several names that came out as potential Ayo successors, including Ginebra assistant coach Richard del Rosario with Kings mentor Tim Cone being groomed as DLSU coaching consultant.

At UST, Ayo will take over a team that underperformed the last two seasons.

But turning under-achieving teams into championship caliber squads has become Ayo’s forte. Three years ago, he whipped an unheralded Letran side into a champion team then moved to La Salle to steer the Archers to another title feat.