Aldin Ayo still UST head coach, but no longer in charge of Tiger Cubs

MANILA, Philippines—There is no truth to rumors that Aldin Ayo will be leaving University of Santo Tomas.

A tweet surfaced that Ayo was axed as the chief of UST’s basketball programs for both the collegiate and high school teams, but a source confirmed that  Ayo is still the head coach of the Growling Tigers.

Ayo, however, did leave his post with the Tiger Cubs with Bonnie Garcia now calling the shots for the high school team.

“It’s not true that coach Aldin left UST, he just left the juniors’ program because there was a misunderstanding between the high school and collegiate programs,” the source, who asked for anonymity, told INQUIRER.net.

“He just decided to focus on the seniors’ team.”

The Varsitarian, UST’s official school publication, also confirmed the news that Ayo’s duties are now limited to Tigers from now on.

Ayo is on the second year of his three-year deal with UST, contrary to previous reports that he signed a six-year contract with the school.

The source said that Ayo was initially told he would be handling both programs, but a misunderstanding between the coach and the administration led the former De La Salle and Letran mentor to focus solely on the Growling Tigers.

“It was agreed beforehand that the juniors and seniors’ teams will have the same program but that didn’t turn out to be the case,” said the source. “Coach Aldin will just now focus on the seniors’ team.”

Ayo, who won both titles in the UAAP and the NCAA, had a mediocre first year with UST finishing with a 5-9 record in the UAAP Season 81  with an undermanned roster that lost big man Steve Akomo and promising rookie star CJ Cansino to injuries.

UST, however, is expected to have a stacked lineup for Season 82 with Cansino coming back from his knee injury to join incoming rookie Mark Nonoy, Pangasinense forward Rhenz Abando and athletic big man Soulemane Chabi Yo.

Veterans Marvin Lee, Renzo Subido, Zachy Huang, and newcomers Brent Paraiso and Sherwin Concepcion are also in the fold for UST.