More than a year after the infamous Sorsogon “bubble” fiasco, former UST Growling Tigers head coach Aldin Ayo said there’s no bad blood between him and his former players.
Ayo currently coaches the Bicol Volcanoes at the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). After the Volcanoes’ win against the Laguna Heroes on Dec. 12, Ayo met with former Tigers Brent Paraiso and Ira Bataller, who now play for the Manila Stars, who had a game earlier in the day.
“I was able to talk to Brent and Ira…Hindi ko naman masasabi na wala nang sama ng loob, kasi wala naman talaga. Kahit no’ng kasagsagan ng problema, I never felt bad sa kanila,” Ayo told the Varsitarian.
Ayo said he was elated to see his former players thrive in their roles for their respective teams in the MPBL.
Aside from Bataller and Paraiso, six-foot-two swingman Rhenz Abando is also playing in the MPBL for the San Juan Knights.
After the Tigers’ fallout in 2020, Paraiso, Bataller and Abando left UST to play for the Letran Knights in the NCAA.
Ayo said what had transpired during the peak of the “bubble” controversy strengthened his bond with his former players.
He also believes he and his former players were all “victims.”
“Kami mismo alam namin what transpired last year and we were all victims do’n sa nangyari. Then I think because of what happened baka [naging] mas malakas pa yung naging relationship namin,” Ayo said.
Ayo, an NCAA and UAAP champion coach, also revealed that he still kept in touch with former Tigers Team captain CJ Cansino, the first player to break away from the team last year.
Seeing his former players makes him reminisce about his stint in UST, Ayo said.
“Of course, I miss them. Siguro sila din miss din nila ako, natural lang ‘yan, syempre we had been together for two years…of course if you worked together that long you’re going to miss each other especially during practices kasi dun talaga kami nagkakasama and sometimes off the court din,” he said.
“Pero there are things that we cannot control e, which is eto na nga yun na we’re not together, pero hopefully ‘yung mga natutunan nila samin nakatulong sa kanila and hopefully they continue improving and learning sa mga experiences,” he added.
Before becoming the Volcanoes’ head coach, Ayo spearheaded the Manila Chooks, the country’s national 3×3 team that competed in Doha, Qatar, last November.
Ayo said it was difficult to get back on track after the controversy.
“Ang daming nawala sa’kin e, pero ‘pag nawala kasi sayo do’n mo maa-appreciate kung ano ‘yong mayroon ka,” he said.
Ayo also said he was grateful for his former UST assistants and now head coaches McJour Luib and Jino Manansala.
Luib and Manansala are also part of Ayo’s coaching staff in the MPBL.
“What I’ve learned is, ‘pag may dumarating na mga problema or mga challenges or difficulties, as long as you handle them well, they become positive and could make you stronger,” Ayo said.
“I think I can say that in spite of what happened, I’m still here, we’re still here because we did things the right way, we were able to handle those problems the right way,” he added.
