#FilOil2019: Ayo not pushing the panic button despite UST s 0-2 start

SAN JUAN -- Aldin Ayo was cool as cucumber as he is still optimistic of UST's chances in the FilOil Flying V Preseason.

This despite the Growling Tigers got stung by CEU in a nailbiter last Mother's Day that condemned them to 0-2 in Group A.

"That's usually our game. We need the offense," he said after coming out of the dugout minutes after the Scorpions escape the FilOil Flying V Centre with a 75-73 squeaker.

"But there were poor decision making. Instead of making extra passes, yung iba tinira ng tinira," he added.

For him it boiled down to the disruptive chemistry as they were incomplete for most of the training.

"We're still adjusting because of the newcomers although naglalaro na sina Mark [Nonoy] and Sherwin [Concepcion], di pa nag-eensayo sa amin ang dalawa dahil nag-aaral pa silang dalawa," Ayo then said, referring to his two players who are still in high school.

He then added that they got the final play right despite Renzo Subido missed their potential game-winning triple, although he conceded that they should have not gone into catch-up mode in a close contest. 

"That was a well-executed play. Halos yung tira ni Renzo uncontested. Unfortunately we did not make the shot, pero ito talaga yung hinanap na option. For us dapat di umabot sa point na ganung point eh. If we played well sana earlier, di kami makakaabot sa ganun."

Despite being at the bottom of Group A, chaos was not even in the mind of the man behind the Mayhem that got Muralla and Taft taste the glory of being in the top.

"Hindi. Ang purpose ay maifield yung tamang players. Kung sino yung malaline-up [sa UAAP] it should'nt have affected us. No need to grow into panic mode," he quoted, noting that the UAAP is still four far months away.

His optimism was even boosted by the impending return of CJ Cansino, as the former UAAP Juniors MVP is set to return to their den as he was in the latter stages of recovery following an ACL injury that cut short his freshman season.

"By next month he's going to practice regularly now. Kaya di namin siya niline up, we don't want to rush things."

(photo by FilOil FlyingV Sports)