By REYNALDO MAGALLON
Boyet Fernandez won’t be coming back as San Beda head coach next season as the Red Lions management reportedly decided to make coaching revamp after a disappointing Season 97 campaign that saw the proud squad miss out on the Finals for the first time after 14-straight seasons.
A reliable source confirmed that Fernandez and his coaching staff JB Sison, Gino Manuel, and Joey Mendoza are on their way out as San Beda begins its search for the next man to take the helm for the Red Lions.
That marks the end of Fernandez’s era in San Beda which produced four titles including the last two of the Red Lion’s historic five-peat in 2013 and 2014 and the back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 in his second tour of duty.
Among the names that have surfaced to take the post is former UST coach Aldin Ayo, Ateneo and TNT assistant Yuri Escueta and former Letran coach and Phoenix mentor Louie Alas.
The same source however revealed that the job is now a toss up between Ayo and Escueta.
Ayo has won two championships in the collegiate level having guided Letran to a title in 2015 and La Salle in 2016 in the UAAP. Escueta, on the other hand, has worked under great coaching minds as he had played under coach Norman Black and served as deputy to coach Tab Baldwin.
San Beda is expected to make an official announcement within the week.