UAAP SEASON 82 PHOTO
Coach Aldin Ayo rose to fame among basketball-loving Filipinos when he steered his underdog Letran Knights Squad to an impossible run for the NCAA Men’s Basketball title in 2015.
His was a squad of hungry underdogs. The Knights had no foreign athlete, but they took out the mighty San Beda squad led by Baser Amer in three grueling games. Basketball pundits described his system as “organized chaos,” predicated on pressure defense, unpredictable and fast-paced offense, a running game and outside shooting. Let’s breakdown how his system, now known as “Mayhem,” has evolved since he won that first collegiate title with Letran.
First off, Ayo’s squads enjoyed an intelligent backcourt duo. In Letran, he had Mark Cruz and a young Rey Nambatac. During his stint at La Salle, he had the duo of Kib Montalbo and Tomas Torres. In UST, Renzo Subido and rookie sensation Mark Nonoy are his men at the backcourt. His offense is anchored on an intelligent point guard and a shooter as partner. The above-mentioned players fit the bill.
In Letran, Ayo’s defense was anchored on a big man who could defend smaller opponents amid pressure defense. With La Salle, he enjoyed the services of one of the best foreign players who played in the UAAP, Big Ben Mbala. With the UST Growling Tigers, he has a versatile big man who is very agile and quick, in the person of the reigning Season Most Valuable Player Soulemane Chabi Yo.
Controlling the boards is also important in mayhem, for it will start the attack of his running game. In Letran, gang rebounding was the name of the game with Felix Apreku leading the charge. In La Salle, Mbala partnered with Jason Perkins and a young Justine Baltazar for the control of the boards. Now in UST, Chabi Yo’s partners-in-crime in the paint are Ira Bataller and Dave Ando.
Lastly, Ayo’s Mayhem thrives on wing players who can provide inside and outside scoring. In Letran, the duo of Kevin Racal and McJour Luib did the damage. He had the luxury of Jeron Teng and Ricci Rivero during his championship run at Taft Avenue. With UST, he has a young CJ Cansino and the high-flying and sweet-shooting Renz Abando.
Coach Aldin Ayo’s Mayhem has found its home and perfection in coaching the UST Growling Tigers. His Mayhem is proven to win championships whether the team is an underdog (Letran) or a complete package of talent (La Salle). The current iteration of Mayhem at UST is a combination of both — underdogs who boast of deep talent ready to fight each game. If there’s anything that did not change with Mayhem, it’s the hunger that could eventually spell the difference.