After a disappointing season 78 in the UAAP basketball tournament, La Salle head coach Juno Sauler has reportedly stepped down from his post, various sources and multiple online reports say.
The move, which first broke in the internet yesterday afternoon, stemmed from the fact that DLSU community particularly the alumni has already lost confidence with Sauler after missing out on the final four for the first time since 2011.
Names such as current La Salle assistant and PBA champion Siot Tangquingcen, three-time NCAA champion coach Louie Alas and five-time UAAP champion coach Franz Pumaren have floated as viable replacements.
It was indeed a sad finish for the usually-stoic Green Archer mentor, especially after leading the Green Archers to a championship run in 2013, his first year as a head coach.
The year after, they made the semifinals and looked poised to return to the championship before Mac Belo and the FEU Tamaraws cried raincheck as the forward’s three pointer at the buzzer gave the then-defending champions the axe.
This year was a disaster – even for a squad which has nine rookies in its roster.
Time and time again, the Green Archers squandered big leads, twice against the UST Growling Tigers and once against fierce rivals Ateneo Blue Eagles. It also did not help that they ended up losing against the likes of Adamson and University of the Philippines, two teams which are sitting at the bottom of the standing.
But the final straw turned out to be in their do-or-die match against the Tamaraws, a game many felt La Salle should have won.
Despite the fact that coach Nash Racela opted to sit out his starters, the Green Archers once again lost a double-digit lead before succumbing in the end game with the likes of Roger Pogoy and Monbert Arong leading the Tamaraw attack.
The Bulletin tried to contact Sauler for comments but the 42-year old mentor is yet to return call or reply to message.