By Jerome Lagunzad
As promised, Ayo, 40, took UST’s mainstays and new recruits to his home province of Sorsogon as part of their 10-day team building as they try to improve the team’s chemistry and camaraderie ahead of the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball wars.
Ayo posted several pictures on his personal Twitter account (@AyoAV_official) last Thursday night, showing him and the rest of the group having an island hopping in the southernmost tip of Luzon.
Top guard Marvin Lee and Cameroon center Steve Akomo were among those present together with comebacking veterans Renzo Subido and Embons Bonleon as well as UAAP Season 80 juniors cage MVP CJ Cansino and fellow recruits Mike Enriquez, Makoy Marcos, Sam Abu Hijleh and Toby Agustin.
Aside from doing some rest and recreation, Ayo is also bent on spending some time to reflect with his young players during the Holy Week and they will most likely do their spiritual obligations to Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
The contingent is expected to be back in Manila by April 4, giving Ayo and the Growling Tigers to fine-tune their plays as they gear up for the annual Filoil-Flying V Preseason Tournament pitting top teams from the UAAP and the NCAA.
In other league developments, reigning titlist Ateneo has secured the services of Fil-Canadian Matthew Daves.
The 6-foot-5 Daves, 19, who suited up for Durham Crossover Canada in the recent National Basketball Training Center tourney, met with Blue Eagles’ chief bankroller Manny V. Pangilinan recently and expressed his desire to play for Ateneo.
The entry of Daves, who carried the colors of Central Tech Prep in Toronto, gives Ateneo another solid piece in their bid to sustain their winning tradition after getting the services of former Blue Eaglets SJ Belangel and Jason Credo.
However, Ateneo lost Blue Eaglets forward Joaqui Manuel, who decided to play for archrival La Salle and promising forward Dave Ildefonso, who joined National University to make a reunion with his celebrated father Danny and elder brother Shaun.
