Aldin Ayo to make UST Tigers work hard, real hard

MANILA, Philippines — New coach Aldin Ayo vowed to transform cellar-dwelling University of Santo Tomas Tigers into the “hardest working team” as the Tigers seek to come out of the doghouse.

“We’re going to maximize their potential,” Ayo told UST’s student publication The Varsitarian after he and assistants  Bonnie Garcia, McJour Luib, Kristoffer Co, and Rene Baena met the team and school officials.

“I’m just going to allow them to play, make sure they enjoy the game and of course, we’re going to instill the work ethic that we want because this season, we’re going to be the hardest working team, talagang magta-trabaho kami (we’ll really labor for this),” he added.

The once proud Tigers are coming off one of their worst performances ever, struggling to win just one game in UAAP Season 80.

And Ayo, who led Letran to an underdog championship in the NCAA and high-powered La Salle to a title and runner-up honors in the UAAP, is tapped to try to turn things around.

“This will not be easy,” admitted the mentor from Sorsogon, who is expected to bring his successful “mayhem” defensive schemes over to the Tigers’ lair.

Ayo bolted the DLSU camp in favor of UST, which is run by his Dominican friends from back in Letran, as he felt he would grow more with the Tigers.