Bryan Santos’ best PBA game to date happened against the franchise where he was supposed to kick-start his journey in the major league.
The rookie from San Luis, Pampanga proved to be a thorn in the side of Meralco, pouring a season-high 22 points on seven triples.
He emerged as the unlikely hero in Converge’s stunning 104-99 win to break a long, dry spell in the Season 48 Philippine Cup.
It will be a tough one to absorb for the Bolts, since they got beaten by their former PBA 3×3 player – whom they were all set to pick in the recent Draft.
“Actually, Meralco ang kukuha rito kasi nga nasa 3×3 ng Meralco eh, and they already had plans for him,” said head coach Aldin Ayo after the victory, which ended their 12-game losing skid, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The young mentor appears to be the one who spoiled whatever “plans” Meralco had with Santos.
After all, he had always coveted the services of the sweet-shooting big man even during his time with the Technological Institute of the Philippines.
Santos, however, did not have any idea that Ayo had his eyes on him.
“Nung nasa TIP kami, hindi ko talaga alam na kinukuha ako,” he said.
Ayo managed to lure him to University of Santo Tomas in 2020, following the Engineers’ disbandment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he was no longer the Growling Tigers’ head coach by the time Santos was eligible to play in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
“I was the one who brought him to UST, but wala na ako roon eh,” said Ayo, who was banned indefinitely by the UAAP following the ‘Sorsogon bubble’ issue.
And so Ayo didn’t hesitate to get him in the draft proceedings last September, using their 14th overall pick on him.
(C) PBA Images
“Actually ayaw niya pumunta sa akin kasi nakausap na raw siya ng Meralco, na papapirmahin siya. Sabi ko hindi, kami kukuha sa’yo,” said the college champion coach.
“Ayun ‘yung kwento kung bakit nandito ‘to.”
Fast forward to now, and Santos is proving why Ayo has been going after him for all these years. He’s been solid this conference, averaging 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals before Sunday’s encounter versus the Bolts.
For him, it’s simply repaying the trust given by Ayo.
“Sobra-sobra na ‘yung binibigay na kumpiyansa sa akin ni Coach, bakit hindi ko pa gagawin ‘yung trabaho ko,” Santos said.
