After putting the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers back in the finals, coach Aldin Ayo will stay on with the team for another three years.
Ayo’s four-year contract with the Tigers was supposed to end after Season 83 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.
But UST, believing in the gains made by Ayo is letting him stay on until 2023.
UST’s Institute of Physical Education and Athletics head Fr. Jannel Abogado, OP, discussed Ayo’s contract early this month and before the holiday break.
The Growling Tigers are the third squad that Ayo has coached over the last five years.
Ayo coached the Letran Knights to a crown in the National Collegiate Athetlic Association back in 2015.
He then moved De La Salle and mentored the team to two finals appearances, including a championship in his first year with the Tigers in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines back in 2016.
Ayo then moved back to UST when La Salle bowed to Ateneo in 2017 in their fight for the crown.
Two years later, Ayo led UST to the championship round, where it lost to Ateneo, which became the first UAAP team to win a men’s UAAP crown via 16-0 sweep.
The return of an intact, young and promising group of players, led by MVP Soulemane Chabi Yo, Rookie of the Year Mark Nonoy and studs Rhenz Abando, CJ Cansino, and Brent Paraiso is expected to make UST a finals’ contender again in the coming season.