De La Salle coach Aldin Ayo. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Aldin Ayo couldn’t seem to solve what’s puzzling La Salle that it can’t shake off Ateneo on Sunday.
Whatever the Bicolano mentor did for the first 30 minutes wasn’t working and the Green Archers found themselves down 12 in the fourth quarter and by seven, 69-76, with 2:24 remaining.
And that proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for Ayo, who took off his jacket and slammed it to the floor in frustration.
“I always thrive in anger and hatred. I’ve always been there. My players can say that and that’s how I was raised,” he said. “Personally, anger or hatred fuels my adrenaline and it helps me in making right decisions.”
His players responded as La Salle got its act together and went on a decisive 10-0 run to finish the game and hack out a 79-76 victory.
“They executed the game plan because we’re not going to quit. We’re not just going to wait there and allow them to beat us. We’re going to do our part, we’re going to compete, and we’re going to do whatever it takes, just to win, in the right way, of course,” he said.
“There were lots of distractions, I can say that, in the first round,” admitted Ayo, whose team finished at No. 2 with a 12-2 slate. “But we were able to overcome them and we were able to focus when the second round came. It’s just being focused and being committed to the objective, which is to win the championship,” he said.
The Green Archers head to the Final Four against No. 3 Adamson riding a seven-game winning streak.
Ayo is confident coming into the duel but he is also wary of the challenge the Falcons present.
“It will be a dogfight, for sure. They’re going to prepare against us. Our last game in the second round was close, it was decided less than a minute or two. So for sure, it will be difficult for us. We’re going to prepare against them.”
Armed with a twice-to-beat edge, the Green Archers take on the Soaring Falcons on Saturday.