Ayo not giving up on Tigers after 41-point rout to Archers

ANTIPOLO—University of Santo Tomas head coach Aldin Ayo vowed that he would weather the storm his team after a flattening 41-point loss, 110-69, to De La Salle in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament.

“I signed up for this, through thick and thin we’ll be here and we’ll be patient,” said Ayo Saturday at Ynares Center here. “We’re not going to give up on those guys because they’ve all worked so hard for this.”

The 41-point margin was the worst loss of Ayo’s career and the deficit was also the second biggest in UAAP history since 2003.

As ironic as it may seem, the largest margin of victory in 15 years was Ayo’s responsibility when he led the Archers on a 43-point devastation, 99-56, against UST on Oct. 23, 2016.

Ayo said there were things that they failed to do and things beyond their control that ultimately led to his team’s doom against the Green Archers, a team they lost to twice this season.

“There are things that we didn’t do and there were also some things that were beyond our control and all those got together in one situation,” said Ayo in Filipino.

One thing the Growling Tigers failed to do was defend as they allowed the Green Archers to shoot them down from all areas.

La Salle shot on a 53.52 percent from the field, 38-of-71, and those makes included 15 three-pointers.

UST’s shooting was the direct opposite of La Salle’s as it made just 20 of its 60 attempts while turning the ball over 23 times.

“We just did not play our game, it has nothing to do with what La Salle did,” said Ayo, whose team dropped to a 5-6 record. “It just so happens that we couldn’t play well when we’re up against La Salle, no big deal. It just so happens that this was a bad game for us.”