Aldin Ayo was dealt the worst loss of his four-year coaching career on Saturday afternoon as the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers suffered a 32-point beatdown at the hands of the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles.
Instead of hanging his head, the two-time collegiate champion head coach humbly accepted the loss. Going in, he knew that he would experience these setbacks and routs in his new journey with the Growling Tigers.
“You have to take that as a man. Ganun talaga eh. Every time you experience like this you become sensitive and you see things na kailangan tanggapin eh.”
Prior to this game, Ayo had only suffered two double-digit losses in his career. Both came when he was still with the DLSU Green Archers – an 87-98 loss to the UP Fighting Maroons last September 23, 2017 and a 71-83 setback at the hands of the Ateneo Blue Eagles last November 5, 2016.
During his first year with the Letran Knights, his worst loss was a 61-68 Game 2 defeat to the San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA Season 91 Seniors Basketball Finals.
But instead of being gracious in victory, some Ateneo fans that packed the Filoil Flying V Centre jeered and even threw profanities at Ayo and his squad. Though irked, Ayo shared that he and his young squad will only use this as motivation to be better.
“Naririnig niyo mga sinisigaw ng mga Atenista? Naririnig niyo mga sinisigaw?” lamented Ayo.
“It will help us. It will help our program. It will help me personally. It will help the whole team. They’re just fueling our drive to strive more and make sure that we’ll be better next time.”
Going back to the locker room, Ayo did not scold the Growling Tigers. Instead, he told his team that this loss is just like any of their first two losses of the season.
“Even though it’s a thirty-two-point loss this will not make us a lesser team.
“May mga ‘di lang kaming nagawang tama. Ganun naman yung basketball eh. ‘Pag may mga ginawa kang hindi tama, puwedeng ilubog ka talaga nang ilubog eh,” he shared. “Kahit wala ka namang chance manalo, pero if you do the right things baka, baka makakuha ng panalo.
“This is just one game for sure hindi maapektuhan yung confidence ng mga bata. I’ll make sure na hindi naapektuhan. Hindi naman kasalanan ng mga bata eh. Kasalanan ‘to ng coaching staff,” he added.
“Kasalanan ko to. Kulang pa ginagawa namin so baka ‘pag pinagawa na namin yung mga extra baka mas makatulong.”
