Jarin finally beats Ayo in UAAP but coaches downplay rivalry

NU Coach Jamike Jarin. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon

UAAP head coaches Aldin Ayo and Jamike Jarin has quite an interesting relationship that stretches back to their days in the NCAA.

The two coaches have been deemed rivals ever since they went toe to toe in the NCAA Season 91 when Ayo and Colegio de San Juan de Letran trumped Jarin and San Beda in the finals.

Three years later, their tug-of-war has moved to the UAAP and Jarin finally gained his first win when National University edged Ayo’s University of Santo Tomas, 76-70, in the Season 81 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

That put their league head-to-head to 2-1 with the advantage still belonging to the Growling Tigers’ muscular head coach.

“It never occurred to me and you know he’s [Ayo] a very good coach and I don’t see this is as a rivalry,” said Jarin. “We just played in the NCAA and now we’re in the UAAP and he’s a very good coach.”

Ayo, who moved to the UAAP’s senior division a year earlier than Jarin, had the same respect for his bespectacled opponent.

“Coach Jamike is a good coach, he’s been tested and well that’s just how things go and that you cannot win it all,” said Ayo who started his UAAP tenure with De La Salle during the 2016-2017 academic year.

And as this quirky rivalry progresses, Jarin wished good fortune to Ayo.

“It’s good to know [that I had my first UAAP win against him] and good luck to coach Aldin,” said Jarin who won his only NCAA title a year after Ayo’s triumph. “Good luck, also, to the Tigers and all the other teams here in the UAAP.”