By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas threw everything, including the kitchen sink, in its bid to topple the mighty Ateneo squad in the UAAP men’s basketball Season 82 Finals, but to no avail.
But sing no sad song for the Tigers.
The Tigers were swept by the Eagles in their best-of-three title series, but UST supporters didn’t shed a tear for them.
Instead, they honored them for their bravery.
Credit coach Aldin Ayo for molding the Tigers into a championship-caliber team – ferocious on offense and rock-solid on the defensive end.
The Tigers overachieved this season and surpassed their sixth-place finish last season, and more importantly, they outclassed the fancied University of the Philippines Maroons in the stepladder semis.
Ayo took the defeat positively, saying: “In a way (we overachieved), but I told the kids na it is more painful to lose in the Finals than not making it to the Final Four.”
“I told them na dumating na kami dito sa finals, we need to make sure that we are up to it. Mas masakit ito.”
Ayo even told his players to treasure their Finals experience as it will help them in the future.
“Ito ‘yung sakit na for sure matututo kami,” he said. “Next season, madadala namin ‘yung experience na to kasi kung ano yung mga kulang namin ngayon, yun yung tatrabahuhin namin.”
Ayo said Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin’s presence in the league is a challenge and a learning experience for local mentors like him.
“Meron siyang (Baldwin) spot na nakuha na coach but lots of coaches here in the Philippines are learning from him,” he said. “Like yung approach sa laro. The x and o’s. Ang dami mong natututunan eh. Because every time you compete (against him and his team), nakikita mo yung ginagawa niya. And every time, natututo ka.”
The Tigers may be licking their wounds now, but Ayo knows they will be back. “We always want to improve. Our mindset is, even if we made it here (in the finals), madami pa kaming kulang at dapat trabahuin. We’ll make sure that we’ll learn from this,” he said.
