WILL the NCAA break its gentleman’s agreement on coach Aldin Ayo?
A highly reliable league insider told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday that any school could tap Ayo as tactician but that could pose problems if others raise questions about it.
“For now, I see no problem with that except when an NCAA member school raises an issue concerning this,” the insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. “Sounded off pero wala pang formal request to discuss this.”
Ayo is reportedly one of San Beda University’s choices as a possible new tactician if and when the Red Lions decide to give Boyet Fernandez the pink slip.
The country’s oldest collegiate league supposedly has a standing internal agreement that none of its schools will hire Ayo.
Aside from Ayo, who guided Letran to the title in 2015 and La Salle in the UAAP in 2016, multi-titled strategists Louie Alas and Frankie Lim are said to be being considered for the San Beda coaching job.
Ayo is currently the head trainer of the Chooks-to-Go 3×3 squads.
The Red Lions fell short in their four-peat drive in 2019, losing to Letran in the finals in three games.
With a young core bannered by the likes of Fil-Canadian James Kwekuteye, JB Bahio, and Franz Abuda, the Mendiola-based cagers wound up with a 7-2 card for third after the eliminations of the 97th NCAA basketball tournament.
The Lions hurdled No. 4 College of St. Benilde in their play-in duel to advance to the Final Four.
San Beda managed to negate the Cardinals’ twice-to-beat advantage but could not get the job done in their knockout match 67-70 as the Lions failed to reach the Big Dance for the first time since 2005.
Ayo, 44, is serving an indefinite suspension from the UAAP.
The powerful Board of Trustees, composed of university presidents, lowered the boom on Ayo in September 2020 after he allegedly broke the government’s stringent health protocols by bringing University of Tomas’ practice to his hometown in Sorsogon City amid the dreaded pandemic from mid-June to August of the same year.
