Jinino Manansala and McJour Luib are set to be named as head coaches by University of Santo Tomas.
According to multiple sources closely monitoring the situation, Manansala will be named as the head coach of the Growling Tigers, while Luib will take over as the Tiger Cubs’ mentor.
Both Manansala and Luib are assistant coaches by former UST chief tactician Aldin Ayo.
Manansala is a former Growling Tiger who played for Aric Del Rosario from 1999 to 2003. He has guided St. Clare to four-straight NAASCU crowns.
He was supposed to be named head coach of the Tiger Cubs but he, Ayo, and Luib resigned from their posts last month as a courtesy to the ‘Bicol bubble’ investigation last September 4.
The 27-year-old Luib, on the other hand, has been Ayo’s loyal soldier since their days in Letran.
Graduating after NCAA Season 92, Luib was tapped by Ayo to be part of his staff in La Salle back in 2016.
He then became Ayo’s lead deputy in UST.
The Growling Tigers are coming off a Finals appearance in Season 82. Manansala now needs to work with the pieces left after the departures of CJ Cansino, Rhenz Abando, Mark Nonoy, Deo Cuajao, Brent Paraiso, and Bismarck Lina.
The Tiger Cubs ended Season 82 with an even 7-7 slate for fifth place.
But if there are two people who can bring a sense of continuity to the basketball program of UST, it’s Manansala and Luib.
