No bad blood between Ayo, Gonzalez after DLSU rout of UST

MANILA, Philippines – For the first time in his UAAP career, coach Aldin Ayo had to watch from the other side of a La Salle beating as coach Louie Gonzalez’s Green Archers wrecked his UST Growling Tigers by 27, 99-72, on Wednesday, October 3.

It was Ayo’s second-worst coaching loss ever, right on the heels of the Tigers’ 32-point destruction at the hands of old rival Ateneo Blue Eagles.

After the game, though, the two coaches shook hands like any other, and both downplayed the significance of the match.

“Siguro entering the game, alam naman natin ang buhay ng coaches. So again, it’s Aldin or other coaches, siguro ako, ganoon pa rin naman ang treatment ko,” Gonzalez said after the game. “Pipilitin kong manalo. Pipilitin kong mag-compete.”

(Entering the game, we know the lives of coaches. Whether it’s Aldin or other coaches, for me, I treat it the same way. I try my best to compete and win.)

Likewise, Ayo kept things simple.

“Wala ako sinabi [sa kanya after the game]. Coaching, playing, if you’re here in basketball… it’s like politics,” said Ayo, who steered the Green Archers to the championsip in 2016.

“Magkasama kayo kapag parehas ‘yung gusto niyo mangyari, kapag parehas ang interest niyo but if there’s conflict of interests, it becomes different. You’re on the other side. Ganun lang ka-simple ‘yon. I don’t talk to them [anymore].”

(I didn’t say anything to him after the game. Coaching, playing, if you’re here in basketball… it’s like politics. You’re allies if you have common goals and interests, but if there’s a conflict of interests, it becomes different. You’re on the other side. It’s that simple. I don’t talk to them anymore.)

Gonzalez was Ayo’s former deputy in the latter’s two years leading La Salle, before suddenly jumping ship to UST in a reported six-year stint. – Rappler.com